Cord Byrd: “I shall quote Lord Byron: A thousand years scarce serve to form a state; an hour may lay it in the dust. Mr. President…”

“I shall quote Lord Byron: A thousand years scarce serve to form a state; an hour may lay it in the dust. Mr. President, let me explain my motion now for the benefit of Senators on both sides. Mr. President, in offering this motion to recommit, I am, I hope, providing one last opportunity for the Senate to come to grips with what we are about to do. It is my desire that each one of us, before we cast our vote on the conference agreement to S. 4, have the chance to reevaluate our position, to rethink the damaging consequences that will necessarily extend from this enhanced rescission proposal, and to vote, instead, for a more sensible approach than that offered in S. 4, as amended. In essence, my motion to recommit would supplant the provisions currently contained in the conference agreement with those contained in S. 14, as originally introduced by Senators Domenici, Exon, Craig, Bradley, Cohen, Dole, Daschle, and Campbell on January 4, 1995. That measure was, I believe, a workable proposal that would give the President broad and uncomplicated authority to propose the rescission or repeal of not only appropriated funds, but, also, new direct spending and targeted tax benefits. Consequently, my proposal will allow any President to rescind any of these budget items under an expedited process that guarantees the President will receive a vote on any of his proposed rescissions.”