On the recordDecember 4, 2012
while the leader is here, I would add my thanks to the majority leader. This could not have happened without the willingness of the majority leader to take a little bit of risk at this time of year with so few days left. Senator McCain and I told the majority leader that we thought we could do it in 3 days, and I want you to know that we did it in 3 days. We don't count half days. If we counted half days, it took us more than 3 days, I must confess to the majority leader. But, nonetheless, the majority leader was willing to let us start down this road. And we did it in a unanimous way. I think it is only the second time in 51 years that there has been a unanimous vote on a Defense authorization bill, and it is because of the willingness and determination of our leadership that we proceed with this bill and that we allow the kind of process to occur that we did and to take the time we did, and I am very grateful.
