John Sarbanes: “It seems to me there are complicated issues that are raised by Senator McConnell's proposal, and they certainly should…”

“It seems to me there are complicated issues that are raised by Senator McConnell's proposal, and they certainly should have been preceded by hearings in which the pros and cons could have been carefully examined. Madam President, I reiterate my point, this amendment is not relevant to the issue before us. It does not come to us on the basis of any hearings that back up or buttress the proposal. It has not worked through any committee. It certainly has not been recommended by any committee, and there have not even been any hearings, as I understand it, by any committee. At the appropriate time, I will be very strongly supportive of the motion to table that will be offered by the able Senator from Wyoming. This is, of course, the second McConnell second-degree amendment we have had to deal with on this legislation. I hope the Senator from Kentucky does not view this as a kind of fair hunting game to bring forth at each step along the way, whenever there is an opening for a second-degree amendment, whatever sort of pet project he has been harboring in his office for whatever period of time.”