Honorable Bill Thomas
United States Representative, California, Republican
Representative Thomas, of the Twenty-Second District of California, was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1978. He has served as chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, which handles trade legislation, since January 2001. The following is excerpted from the November 13, 2006, House floor debate on H.R. 5602, extending permanent normal trade relations to Vietnam. The relationships between the United States and Vietnam have been difficult. When Iwas a member of the [Ways and Means] committee as a member of the minority andthe chairman of the Trade Subcommittee was the gentleman from Nevada,[Rep. Jim] Gibbons…
