Dianne Feinstein: “If I may just finish my statement for a moment, it was my understanding that at the present time the only game in town…”

“If I may just finish my statement for a moment, it was my understanding that at the present time the only game in town, so to speak, was the McCain bill, that we could vote out the McCain bill, it would go to conference, and a bill could be written. Now, Mr. Majority Leader, based on what you are saying, there will be no bill at all that would go to conference; ergo no bill, period. That is what I find very disturbing. I am prepared to vote for the McCain bill, with the view that it goes to conference, and perhaps some of the ideas that Senator Hatch and I, and others, Senator Jeffords, Senator Breaux, Senator Torricelli have-- that might prevail in a conference setting. So I will just, most respectfully, urge you to reconsider, vote out this bill. Let us not give up the issue of tobacco reform. I thank the Chair for your forbearance. I yield the floor.”