Tom Harkin: “Because, under my proposal, a Senator could stand here and talk until his breath runs out. Fifty-seven days we allow. I…”

“Because, under my proposal, a Senator could stand here and talk until his breath runs out. Fifty-seven days we allow. I do not think any Senator here can speak for 57 days. So it is not as though we are taking away the right of a Senator to stand here and speak until his breath runs out. Our amendment will allow 19 days, 19 legislative days, just to bring the bill up. Then, on the other hurdles, there is more. It is a total of 57 days that a determined Senator can filibuster a bill. And I have not even mentioned the amendments to the bill. The Senator says we need time for more debate and not less. I agree with the Senator. I wish we could have more debates like this. I think they are good debates. Threaten to filibuster, the people go home. I would close my remarks, Mr. President, by saying this is the first vote of this Congress in the Senate. I believe it is the most important vote of all the so-called reforms that we with will be voting on. We will reform the way we do business here, and we will apply the laws that apply to businesses to Congress, and we will have gift bans and all that. Fine. This is the single most important reform. The people of this country want this body to operate more effectively. They do not want gridlock. Yes, we want the rights of the minority protected. We want the minority to be able to debate, to amend, to speak freely. To slow things down.…”