Cord Byrd: “I have great respect for both Senators. I have great admiration for them. Mr. Harkin serves on my Appropriations…”

“I have great respect for both Senators. I have great admiration for them. Mr. Harkin serves on my Appropriations Committee. He has his heart in this matter. But as one who has been a leader of the majority and the leader of the party when in the minority, I can say to my friends that the majority leader, whose job it is and responsibility it is to bring up matters-- that is not the responsibility of the minority leader--the majority leader, with his power of first recognition, with his majority votes to back him up on most measures, certainly on taking up measures, he can get measures up. There might come an occasion now and then in the effort to proceed to take up something when he would have to use cloture. That is all right. I used it a few times, too. But that has been the problem, as I have observed it here in recent years, the 'filibuster,' because it really was not a filibuster. It was the failure to give consent to take up a matter. Consent is needed to take up a matter, except on a motion. So if we can ask unanimous consent to take up a matter, to proceed to a matter, any one Senator can object, and that may appear to be a filibuster.”