Mike Levin: “first we thank the Democratic leader for supporting the fundamental principle that has been violated with this…”

“first we thank the Democratic leader for supporting the fundamental principle that has been violated with this authorization bill. It is a very different principle from the one the Presiding Officer feels so passionately about. It is a principle which I have, I believe, never seen violated. The Senator from Alabama, who is on the floor, and the Senator from South Carolina, who is on the floor--they signed a signature sheet, I believe, on our Defense authorization. I think every Republican and I think every Democrat signed the signature sheet. The issue which the Presiding Officer feels so passionately about, which is earmarks on an appropriations bill and items being added on an appropriations bill, raises a whole different issue under a different rule. I believe his passion on this issue is admired by many in this body. But the principle that Senator Warner and I are talking about is a principle which is embedded, it is so fundamental--that once a conference report is signed there is no way that it can be or should be changed. No way can material be inserted in a conference report. This is in all of our interests. If in the conference we decided to add material which had not been discussed by either body, that would then raise the issue in which the good Presiding Officer is very passionately involved. I share many of his concerns. That is not his issue. The conference did not add this material.…”