Cord Byrd: “Exactly. I think that rule keeps down acerbities and ill will. I want to retain good will. So when I refer to the…”

“Exactly. I think that rule keeps down acerbities and ill will. I want to retain good will. So when I refer to the distinguished Senator, I don't want to point the finger at him by saying ``you.'' Now, Mr. President, I am not sure the Senator is entirely accurate in everything he has said. I didn't hear everything he said, but I have the impression that what he was saying was that we bundled bills together in times when I was majority leader, and so on. I am not sure that is even accurate. But let me say to the distinguished Senator that I haven't complained about bundling bills together. That is not my complaint at all. My complaint is in avoiding debate in the Senate and sending appropriation bills directly to conference. That is my problem because that avoids the open debate in the Senate, and Senators are deprived of the opportunity, thereby, to offer amendments. I don't mind bundling bills together in conference if they have passed the Senate. But if they haven't passed the Senate, I am very critical of sending those bills to the conference. I think the framers contemplated both Houses acting upon bills--and that is the way we have done it heretofore until the last few years; appropriation bills have passed the Senate; they have been amended and debated before they went to conference. That is my complaint. So I hope the Senator will not feel that I have been complaining about bills being joined in conference. I am not complaining about that.”