Trade Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, yesterday Chairman Hatch and I began managing this legislation on the floor of this distinguished body. It seems to me that speaking for more than a couple of minutes at this point would just be excessive, but I think I want to summarize what the central question is at this late hour.

It would be fair to say that we have spirited debates in the Senate, and fiscal battles that play out in this Chamber take place at virtually every new cycle and certainly with every election. That is as it should be. That ensures that we have vigorous debate about important issues the Founding Fathers wanted this Senate to be part of. But that must never endanger the sterling economic reputation our country has built over the generations, and passing this legislation, in my view, helps to preserve that reputation.

With this bipartisan legislation, it is possible to avert a catastrophic default and a mindless sequester, which would give an opportunity that the President, the Senate, and I care a great deal about, and that would be the opportunity to come up with smart, effective, targeted reforms, such as fixing the broken system of fighting wildfires in our country. That system is broken today. With this legislation and the opportunity to bring a bit more flexibility to the cause of reforming our government, there will be an opportunity on a bipartisan basis to fix that broken policy which has consumed, literally and figuratively, so much of our land in the West.

To me, having the opportunity to prevent a government shutdown and demonstrate once more that our country pays its debts and pays them on time is central to our obligations in the Senate--obligations we must meet on a bipartisan basis.

The reality is, as it has been for decades, that America is the economic rock in tumultuous seas with this legislation. Once again, we preserve our status, our prestige, with the ability to say to the world: America pays its debts. Our full faith and credit is intact.

The reality is the cycle of fiscal crisis has gone on for far too long. To me, the Senate ought to view this legislation as, in effect, a springboard to go back to very different and robust and bipartisan budget debates. The people of this country--certainly the people of my State--expect Senators on both sides of the aisle and of differing philosophies to come together to solve the big economic challenges ahead.

The reality is, if you count the votes here in the Senate, to get the important work done, you have to find some common ground. Neither side can forge the progress we need here in this body all by itself. So let's pass this bipartisan legislation tonight, and let's reaffirm our pledge to protect the full faith and credit of the United States.

This evening I urge my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans alike, to support this important legislation.

I yield the floor.

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