David Obey: “I do not agree with the administration policy on Mexico. I certainly do not agree with their policy on NAFTA. But I am…”

“I do not agree with the administration policy on Mexico. I certainly do not agree with their policy on NAFTA. But I am going to support the committee proposition because I think this entire process is ridiculous. Under the certification process, what happens is that the Congress requires the President to certify that the world is perfect and the conduct of other people in the world is perfect. Then when he has to do that to further the interests of American foreign policy, the Congress as an institution then poses for political holy pictures because he has to do it when we put him in a box and virtually require him to do it in the first place. It seems to me the question is not whether Mexico has cooperated. Of course they have not, certainly not to the degree we would like to see them cooperate. But the question is whether or not we will take an action which will make it more difficult to obtain the goal we want with respect to drug control, because we give additional arguments to those in the struggle against drugs who are not our friends. That is the issue. The issue is simply what action can be taken by the Congress today which will produce the best results for our kids and for our country. I submit that that action is to stick with the committee, not to get into other political arguments. So I would strongly urge that we support the committee's position.”