On the recordJanuary 31, 2012
I thank the leader for his statement and thank him for his patience. I know people are critical of the way Senator Reid has been forced to operate to try to get anything done, but if you go through a day like we have gone through, you understand why he has had no choice. Mr. Paul, the Senator from Kentucky, offered an amendment. We had a very thoughtful negotiation with him about modifying the amendment. We came to a meeting of the minds and were ready to go, and then another Member said: I will not consent to you voting on Senator Paul's modified amendment unless you promise me a vote. As Senator Reid well knows, in the early years I was here this kind of behavior sometimes happened at just before the final vote on a bill or perhaps before a recess was about to be declared. But to conduct oneself in this way at the very beginning of a debate on a bill about which there is bipartisan support--yesterday, it was clear on the cloture motion, only two Senators voted against it. It is a real good government bill, and to hold it up in this way is frustrating. I quote the majority leader, who is a straighter talker: It is ridiculous. So at the end of a long day, we have nothing to show for our labor. I apologize to the Members of the Senate. But it requires some reasonableness from our colleagues to proceed. ____________________
