Joe Lieberman: “I thank the Chair. We pushed repeatedly for a vote on a very reasonable bipartisan proposal crafted by Senators Breaux…”

“I thank the Chair. We pushed repeatedly for a vote on a very reasonable bipartisan proposal crafted by Senators Breaux, Nelson, and Chafee, to break the unnecessary logjam over the rights of Federal workers. But that was not to be had. Our colleagues on the other side did not yield. Five times they refused to allow a vote on their own bill, even though Democrats had time and again given ground and simply wanted a vote on the compromise amendment. As will be remembered, mostly because of Senator Daschle's totally justified expression of anger on this floor, the Bush administration even began to question the patriotism of Democratic Senators rather than joining us on this good-faith area of disagreement to try to come to an agreement. In a new low in the tawdry business of political campaign advertising, two of our colleagues, Senator Cleland and Senator Carnahan, were subjected to ads that took votes they cast out of context on homeland security and questioned their patriotism. That was outrageous and unacceptable. The fact is that these two Senators, Carnahan and Cleland, had been early supporters of a Department of Homeland Security. So what started out as a nonpartisan effort to protect America's national security, unfortunately, became a very partisan effort to decide elections. Now the campaign is over. It is time to turn the page once again. Benjamin Franklin said, you may delay, but time will not. I say this afternoon we may delay, but the terrorists will not.”