Bob Dole: “I think this is a clear-cut issue. My view is that the amendment is not necessary. But this is an effort to have the…”

“I think this is a clear-cut issue. My view is that the amendment is not necessary. But this is an effort to have the opponents who are really concerned about this bill focus on the issues rather than trying to frighten the American people, saying that somehow anybody who is for this bill is out here trying to peddle dirty meat. That was a charge made over the weekend and in the past few days. I think probably it is in the interest of everybody who supports regulatory reform that the amendments be offered. I am the one being criticized by the media. 'Senator Dole's bill is promoting dirty meat.' And some say maybe I am doing it for the meatpackers. Well, I do not know any meatpackers. I do not have any connection there. In any event, this is just to calm down the hysteria of some in the media. But they will get hysterical about something else. They are good on their feet. As soon as this matter is resolved, they will have some other hysterical notion or a figment of somebody's imagination, and some statement will be made, or there will be a ludicrous charge that they will pick up on. There are, unfortunately, some people in the bureaucracy who believe that the Government should do everything in America. They do not want any regulatory reform. They are not one of the American families who are paying an average of $6,000 a year for regulatory reform.”