David Vitter: “I, too, rise today to strongly oppose the motion to proceed that we will be voting on in a few hours and to strongly…”

“I, too, rise today to strongly oppose the motion to proceed that we will be voting on in a few hours and to strongly oppose this absolute rush to judgment on this bill, rush to pass legislation that will have a huge impact on our country for 25 to 50 years or more. I start by thanking Senator Sessions for his hard work in defending the Senate procedure that is in place for a very good reason--to ensure the deliberative process, to ensure that important, weighty matters get careful consideration. That is what the American people deserve. That is what is absolutely threatened by this rush to pass this legislation, starting with the motion to proceed that we will be voting on in a few hours. The Senate is supposed to be the world's most deliberative body. Yet I and many other Senate offices have not had adequate time to look carefully at this so-called compromise proposal before this very important vote this afternoon. The first time the legislation was available to me or any other Senator was at 2 a.m. on Saturday. Yet right now, Monday, in a few hours, we are being asked to essentially start voting on it through the motion to proceed.”