We do require such a calculation now. We have had something like 850 of those calculations, I think, in the last 12 years. There is a law, the Congressional Budget Act, which requires the Director of the Congressional Budget Office, to the…

But the question is, if we allow for the fact that a director in the private sector is unable to make the estimate, why do we not have the same language relative to the intergovernmental mandates? Why not the same honesty? Why not the same…

first, I just have one additional question of the Senator from Nebraska. That has to do with the House of Representatives. We are in a position here where he, as ranking member of the Budget Committee, has said it is inappropriate to vest…

I can go on and on through these exemptions. I think the point is clear. We are skating out on a new pond. The Parliamentarian has never ruled on these issues, whether or not language constitutes a mandate; whether or not, because it is an…

We should allow them to be honest when it comes to the cost of an intergovernmental mandate. That is all I am saying. It is an honesty amendment. By the way, it will allow the Senate to legislate a lot better. We will not be gaining useful…

We have been diligent. We have tried for weeks and weeks and weeks and months to get an estimate and cannot get it because they say there is no way they can make this estimate for various reasons. It may be that the EPA is going to…

The Senate has no basis. The CBO told us that they cannot make the estimate. You say they can be honest. You ought to say that in the bill, they can be honest. But you do not want to say that in the bill because then the point of order…

I was interested in the Senator from New Mexico's comment about leaving this to the Parliamentarian, as though the law assigns certain responsibilities to the Budget Committee. The way I read the law, the four references out of the five in…

The question is, should they be able to tell us they cannot make an estimate. The Senator from Idaho keeps saying sure, they ought to. A minute ago, he said a good-faith effort. The words ``good-faith effort'' are not in the bill. The…

the point the chairman makes, it seems to me, cuts exactly the opposite way. Since an appropriation is hanging on the estimate when it comes to the intergovernmental money, it seems to me that is more of a reason that estimate should be…

I am saying quite the opposite, if the Senator would yield. Quite the opposite. It is worth getting an estimate. It is worth getting an honest estimate. And there is no way that in a few minutes, or in a few hours--indeed in a few days, if…

Which is a good goal. But if the author of the legislation attempts to obtain that estimate, and it is impossible for the CBO to make it, even if there is a diligent request, why not allow the Director to be honest? Why force the Director…

If the Director determines that it is not feasible for him to make a reasonable estimate that would be required with respect to Federal private-sector mandates, the Director shall not make the estimate but shall report in the statement…

What this bill requires us to do, unlike last year's bill, is to get an estimate which at times we know is impossible to make from the experience of CBO, even on a bill, and we know it is even more impossible on more amendments to get…

it is a very good intent. We have a current law which says exactly the same thing. The Budget Act now requires the Congressional Budget Office to make the estimate, where practicable. The chairman, my friend from Delaware, asks, ``Where…

I think we are in a way on the same wavelength because I think it is important that we get honest estimates, too. My question is, If the CBO cannot estimate it--cannot estimate it, it is still out of order. Let me put it a different way…

And I do know that at some point they will be offered. But I would only point out also to the ranking member, to the Senator from Ohio, if he could also then give me his attention--forgive me--on this, that the Budget Committee has adopted…

I was one of the conferees last year in that conference, and the language which was added here was not adopted by the conference. I do not know of any Republican in the conference or Democrat that supported the language being in the final…

The Senator from Alaska raised this very point during a debate on the language which would ban travel to the so-called charitable events. That exact argument was raised. The Senator from Alaska attempted to strike the language which would…

First of all, we sure do need political campaign finance reform. I could not agree with the Senator more. One of the glaring omissions from the Gingrich contract, it seems to me, is that there is no reference to campaign finance reform and…

as I said earlier, the lobbying reform issue, the lobbying disclosure portion of that conference report is not incorporated in this amendment that we will be voting on. That issue, lobbying disclosure, lobbying registration reform, would…

I share the concern of the proponents of this proposal to modify Senate rule XXII that the right to filibuster has been abused in the Senate in recent years. In the entire 19th century only 16 filibusters occurred. In the 26 Congresses…