Judd Gregg: “I know the chairman of the Finance Committee is coming over, and he may want to speak to this issue, but the time may…”

“I know the chairman of the Finance Committee is coming over, and he may want to speak to this issue, but the time may lapse before he gets here so let me make this point: The study which the Senator is asking for could occur and would occur--and I can't speak for the chairman of the Finance Committee, but I would certainly be willing to sign the letter, and I suspect the chairman would, too. But simply writing the letter down there from the committees of jurisdiction--I don't happen to be a committee of jurisdiction, although it is an interesting issue--and then the chairman and the ranking member could get the study. The reason this amendment is being put on this bill is to try to send it back to the House to delay the process so that the debt ceiling ends up with some political votes somewhere along the line. That is just gamesmanship and there is no need for it. We should have this amendment taken off this bill. If there is a desire for this information, which we could certainly obtain rather easily by sending a letter demanding that they do the study, and then have GAO do the study--a little independence on the study might even be good--do a joint task force and get the information. So the amendment really isn't necessary at all. So I agree with what I think is the leadership's position on this side, that this amendment is just dilatory and will end up delaying the debt ceiling legislation, which is a mistake. That is why it is opposed.…”