Joe Lieberman: “No, I think it is normal. But I would say--I will yield to Senator Collins in a moment--that we, as managers of this…”

“No, I think it is normal. But I would say--I will yield to Senator Collins in a moment--that we, as managers of this bill, really appreciate what you have said because we started on the bill last Wednesday. We had some good, healthy debate on a series of amendments that went to the heart of what the bill is about. Frankly, those amendments are done. Now this bill is ready to be adopted and sent to conference, and what has happened, as always happens, is people see a vehicle moving, and jump on it with related or unrelated amendments. Incidentally, of all the amendments filed, apparently only seven or eight are going to survive as germane, presuming cloture is invoked tomorrow. So people get to be--well, they see a horse moving and they want to jump on. Also, then others get to be quite demanding and, might I say respectfully, occasionally unreasonable in blocking votes on the amendments. It is one thing to be against an amendment, but let's come out, vote on it. You can have your say. The record will be established. But to block the amendment from coming up that then blocks this important bill--which most of us will support--from going forward, that does not make sense.”