Chuck Grassley: “whether it is a majority or whether it is two-thirds, if I had to go back to my Republican caucus to find out that I had…”

“whether it is a majority or whether it is two-thirds, if I had to go back to my Republican caucus to find out that I had a certain percentage of the caucus behind me, there would be no point in negotiating. I do not dispute what the Senator from Nevada just said, because he is an honest person and he would state it as he sees it, but it was widely interpreted and it was printed in the press as 'two-thirds.' Even some people from the other side of the aisle seemed to indicate that in the press. So that is what my statements are based on. The point is, a caucus appoints people to negotiate something that can get through the Senate. That means 51 votes. Whatever restrictions were put on--the specific percentage aside--it is an impossible situation in which to negotiate. That was the environment that was present during these negotiations, during this period of time that the Senate majority leader is trying to use as an excuse when nothing could get done and saying that Republicans were holding it up.”