Chuck Grassley: “I really compliment Senator Baucus for his leadership in working with us. But, also, it took us 3 or 4 months to put…”

“I really compliment Senator Baucus for his leadership in working with us. But, also, it took us 3 or 4 months to put together a bill, and Senator Hatch and Senator Rockefeller were very much involved in that effort with many long hours. So I thank them. I do wish to make the point that what the Senate has done over the past few days has genuinely served the interests of the American people. The Senate passed this bipartisan legislation which will cover an additional 3.2 million children. The Senate has proceeded in regular order to process amendments. Every amendment that was offered was defeated--I mean every one on which we had a rollcall vote was defeated. So this bill basically has come out of the Senate the same way it came out of the Senate Finance Committee. This is how we should do business in the Senate. Amendments were debated and voted upon. Members had the opportunity to consider a variety of changes to the Senate Finance Committee bill. Some were adopted by voice vote. Those that took a rollcall, none of those were adopted. But regular order was followed, and the Senate worked its will. I am pleased with the Senate Committee product, which is a bipartisan product.”