It was not in the bill last year. This was a language that was in a bill introduced on a Wednesday night, which went to a hearing on Thursday morning, which was intended to go to a markup on a Friday morning which we had to plead for a…

this amendment responds to a lengthy discussion that we had yesterday about whether the bill should allow the Congressional Budget Office to state when it honestly cannot estimate the direct cost of an intergovernmental mandate. The bill…

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…

I believe if we are going to be straight with ourselves, we have to acknowledge two things: That with this experience that the Congressional Budget Office has in making estimates, they are telling us there are times when they cannot make…

I am wondering if I could engage the managers in some colloquy and dialog as to how this bill will function in the real world. There are some real problems in terms of the process. This bill is different from last year's bill. First, I…

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…

I think that is exactly what they should say, but you do not allow for it. I am the one who says the bill should allow for it. Let me make sure there is no confusion as to who is saying what. I am the one who says that we ought to allow…

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…

Why, then, do we not have the same language on the intergovernmental as we do on the private?

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…

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…

Now, when we say, ``Just keep doing it the way we have done it before,'' let us understand what we are talking about. We have a Budget Act--and I will get to that in a minute, because the Budget Act makes specific references to the Budget…

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 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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…