Dan Coats: “I just wandered onto the floor hoping we were coming close to some type of an agreement. I very much regret that we have…”

“I just wandered onto the floor hoping we were coming close to some type of an agreement. I very much regret that we have to careen from week to week, from period to period funding our government on a temporary basis. I think all of us were hoping we could get this resolved. I still hold out some hope. There is 2 hours and 50 minutes or so of negotiations still to go. I commend the Senator from Texas, Mrs. Hutchison, for her efforts. She has been relentless in reminding us for several days, if not more, that we cannot leave our troops in the field and those who are wearing the uniform serving our country in a situation where they are not paid. This, of course, affects drug enforcement agents and many others across the Federal spectrum. But these troops overseas are bearing hardship enough to not be caught up in a debate here which is necessary, a debate that needs to be resolved. As I said earlier when I spoke this morning or early afternoon, this is just a small little brushfire, as dramatic as the press has made it, and it does have consequences--serious consequences.…”