Chuck Grassley: “I give the Senator from New York and all the other people on the other side of the aisle the benefit of the doubt, but…”

“I give the Senator from New York and all the other people on the other side of the aisle the benefit of the doubt, but as a matter of constitutional fact, there is always some theater when the Vice President has to cast a tie-breaking vote. Also, there is some justification for what I said, not based upon what I know is going to happen this time but what I have seen happen in the past. The other thing I want to tell the Senator from New York, regardless of what I said about the theater, I want to base my remarks upon what I think is unneeded legislation. This gets to some of the finer points of law that I am not going to argue and debate with the Senator from New York because he would say under certain circumstances, because of intent or because of court orders, the necessity to go back to State courts, his amendment will enhance the protection of people about whom he is concerned. Those are not serious considerations. His amendment is not needed.”