Cord Byrd: “the Senator thinks he has me over a barrel. I voted against cloture. I make no bones about that. But why finger point at…”

“the Senator thinks he has me over a barrel. I voted against cloture. I make no bones about that. But why finger point at that bill? Finger pointing isn't going to resolve the problems that are going to confront our highway departments and our Governors and our mayors throughout this country. That is not going to do any good, Senator. Yes, I voted against cloture. I would like to see a campaign finance reform bill, but I would also like to see a highway bill. So forget what happened back there on cloture. Lot's wife looked back and she turned to salt. Let's don't look back. Let's keep our promise, the promise that was made to bring up this highway bill. I didn't make that promise. The leadership of the Senate made that promise. This is not a partisan matter, Mr. President. Republicans and Democrats buy gas at the gas station. Republicans and Democrats pay a gas tax. Republicans and Democrats use the highways of this country and the transit systems. Republicans and Democrats are injured and die when safety conditions get to the point where accidents occur. So this is not a partisan matter. I know that the Senator from Rhode Island is against that amendment. He has been all along. He was against it when the bill was up last fall. That is a given. There is no surprise in that. But, Mr. President, the promise was made to bring up the highway bill.”