Tom Carper: “I extend my thanks to the majority whip and to the floor managers of the bill. Senator Reid cares very deeply about this…”

“I extend my thanks to the majority whip and to the floor managers of the bill. Senator Reid cares very deeply about this issue. I have known him for some time. We came to Congress together in 1982. We were classmates in the House of Representatives that year. Mike Bilirakis of Florida has been a champion of this issue for close to 20 years. I served as Governor for 6 years with George W. Bush when he was Governor of Texas. I do not know that I know him better than anybody else on the floor. I know him reasonably well. I am not altogether surprised that he would issue a veto threat on this issue. Before we go forward and approve it, I think that is clearly what is going to happen. I don't believe he is doing this out of some sense of lack of respect for the military. I clearly don't believe he would be doing this out of a lack of respect for those who served and became disabled during their service to their country. I have not seen the veto message that Senator Reid placed in the trash receptacle there. But it would be interesting to hear what the President's words actually were on the message. Does the Senator mind? It is not very lengthy.”