Trent Lott: “again, I would like to indicate that this is a bipartisan package. The Finance Committee reported it out by a…”

“again, I would like to indicate that this is a bipartisan package. The Finance Committee reported it out by a substantial vote. We have already included three major Democrat proposals in this package. In fact, there are only four components to it. Three of them were principally sponsored by Democrats. In fact, I think probably the cause of the bill is probably well over two-thirds-- 80 percent--based on the Democratic amendments. But it didn't make any difference. They were Democrat, or Republican, if they made sense. If they will help with education in the elementary, secondary, or higher education level, they deserve serious consideration. And if they are meritorious, the committee added them. We considered other issues, I might add, in the Finance Committee. Point No. 1. No. 2, with regard to not wanting to delay things, I should note that the discussion on this package began with a filibuster on the motion to proceed. I had to file a cloture on the motion to proceed--and not getting to the substance of even proceeding to consider the bill. It took us, I guess, 3 days to get that, although when we got to the vote, to the credit of both sides, it passed overwhelmingly. Seventy-five Senators said, Yes; we should cut off the filibuster on the motion to proceed. With regard to the other issues, I did not want to spend 5 days on the Reagan Airport; 5 hours or 5 minutes would have been fine. But I thought that it was something we ought to think about.”