Gerald Kleczka: “Mr. Chairman, over the last couple hours we are told about slave labor, child labor, human rights abuses, forced…”

“Mr. Chairman, over the last couple hours we are told about slave labor, child labor, human rights abuses, forced abortion in China. So one could ask, well, why are we here giving permanent trade status to China? What is this issue all about? My colleagues, the issue is all about money. The issue tonight is money, corporate profits for our industry and corporate boards. That is what it is all about. Now, we have heard from the proponents that, gosh, we cannot isolate China, we cannot refuse to trade with them, we should not be protectionist. And it is all nonsense. Because everyone talking on the floor, be they for or against this resolution, know that we are going to continue, like today, trading with China. So what is the big deal? The big deal is do we give China tomorrow permanent trading status with our country? Do we throw open the doors to promises of hundreds of thousands of new jobs? Or should we, like we have for almost the past 20 years, review this country and their abuses on an annual basis and then on this floor make a decision? That is the question.”