Chuck Grassley: “I suppose there are several reasons we voted that way, but the argument that was used very successfully in debate…”

“I suppose there are several reasons we voted that way, but the argument that was used very successfully in debate yesterday by Senator McConnell of Kentucky was comity between the House and Senate whereas through this legislation and this amendment we should not be as a body of the Senate making rules for the House of Representatives. They have the constitutional right and power to adopt their own rules. They generally do not attempt to tell the Senate how we should fulfill our constitutional responsibility in setting up the rules of the Senate. I do not find any fault with the goal that either Senator Ford or Senator Glenn are trying to accomplish through their respective amendments. The McConnell amendment has modified the Ford amendment so it just applies to the Senate. Even though there is a different approach by Senator Glenn, the end result is exactly the same; that if the Glenn amendment is adopted, even though it does not mention the House of Representatives, the practical impact is, for the Senate to tell the House of Representatives what they can do in their rulemaking on the subject of frequent flier miles. As I indicated, as a body, we decided earlier this afternoon, 55 to 44, not to do that.”