Bob Dole: “I do believe now we have come to a point where we would like to conclude action on this very important legislation this…”

“I do believe now we have come to a point where we would like to conclude action on this very important legislation this week. We have been on it now, this is the 11th day, as I calculate. And I hope, I think, the votes are there. Or they are not there. The 67 votes are there or they are not there. I think there is broad bipartisan support for protecting Social Security, though I must say, personally, sometime--the Entitlements Commission pointed out earlier--we will have to face up to some of these issues. Senator Danforth and Senator Kerrey issued a report last December. But I think for the moment, everybody is willing to protect Social Security. We voted 83 to 16 to adopt a sense-of-the-Senate amendment stating we should not raise Social Security or cut Social Security benefits in order to balance the budget. On Friday, we adopted a motion reaffirming that commitment by a vote of 87 to 10. Our plan will not raise taxes. Our plan will not touch Social Security. Everything else, every Federal program, from Amtrak to zebra mussel research, will be on the table, including agriculture, which talk show hosts always ask me about, since I am from Kansas.”