Chuck Grassley: “I want to respond somewhat to the Senator from Massachusetts. First of all, I hope he understands this is a Monday--not…”

“I want to respond somewhat to the Senator from Massachusetts. First of all, I hope he understands this is a Monday--not that Monday is not just as important as any other day of the week. But it was announced last week there would be no votes today. His amendment doesn't have anything to do with votes today, but there are a lot of Members not here who ought to have some input when a nongermane amendment comes up. So I object for the reasons of myself as well as others. Also, you can see from the debate of the Senator from Massachusetts that he feels very strongly about the importance of that amendment which he offers on the minimum wage. There is nothing wrong with the issue of the minimum wage coming up. But for this Senator from Iowa, who is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, with issues I am trying to respond to in a bipartisan way, and to issues that are raised as much from the other side of the aisle as they are from this side of the aisle--I mentioned the FSC/ETI bill of 2 weeks ago. I mentioned the welfare reform bill this week. There is a bipartisan consensus--maybe I should not say consensus--there is an agreement we ought to have the legislation before the Senate and passed. In the face of FSC/ETI, it was responding as much from the other side as this side that that legislation to encourage manufacturing in the United States, to create jobs in the United States ought to pass. When it comes to a vote, it will probably pass 90-10.”