On the recordOctober 13, 2013
So here is the good news. The good news is we have a bill over in the House. It is a clean continuing resolution. It would open the doors to government immediately. And it is a very short-term CR-- continuing resolution--and would still preserve everyone's right to sit down and negotiate through regular order. We have a strong budget chairman. We have a strong budget ranking member. America has gotten to know them well. And the same in the House. Therefore, I put my faith in those folks under regular order. So we could open this government in 5 minutes, we could pass a clean debt extension in 7 minutes, and then we sit down and negotiate. I did speak with Leader Reid this morning, and I feel he is optimistic that we are going to get there--I really do--and it lifts my spirits. Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid have been around here a long time. They have had their ups and downs and sideways and everything else like everybody in the relationships here. But I think they know the moment of history is calling them. I put my faith in that. I hope I am right. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Hawaii.
