Chris Dodd: “I begin by thanking our colleague from Pennsylvania for his leadership on this issue as the new chairman of the Senate…”

“I begin by thanking our colleague from Pennsylvania for his leadership on this issue as the new chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and also to commend our colleague from Vermont, Senator Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the committee. Despite their differences on this legislation, we are debating this bill because the managers have gone through the committee process and have produced a product for the consideration of the full Senate. I am pleased this bill is finally before us once again. It has been a year and a half since we last considered this legislation. I also commend the two leaders, Senators Frist and Daschle, for working as early as the fall of 2003 to try and craft a compromise. Senator Reid of Nevada has picked up on this and I want to particularly commend Senator Reid. He has some strong reservations about this bill, as many of our colleagues do, but he has arranged, as the Democratic leader can, for this matter to come forward.”