Saxby Chambliss: “I came over to speak on this bill and in opposition to the motion to proceed. I sit here and I listen to the…”

“I came over to speak on this bill and in opposition to the motion to proceed. I sit here and I listen to the distinguished chairman of the committee talk about the fact that this is an open process and that we have to get to this bill and everybody can file amendments. Well, when it comes to filing amendments to the Defense authorization bill, the majority leader is just like me. He is a Member of the Senate. He has the right to file amendments. I have the right to file amendments. That is not the case here. That is not what we are arguing about. What has happened is the majority leader, for political purposes, has come down and he has called up the Defense authorization bill and he has done what we call filling the tree. He has filed three Democratic amendments for his benefit and then he has filled the tree and he has not allowed me to file an amendment. He has not allowed the Senator from Florida to file an amendment. So when the chairman stands and says: We have to get to the bill. Well, we are on the bill. Is it right for the majority leader to be able to file amendments and nobody else to file amendments? I do not think so. That is what we are arguing about today.”