Political Quotes

“Madam President, the day before yesterday, the Senate voted on the amendment offered by the chairman and ranking Republican member of the Budget Committee to create a budget commission. The Senate rejected that amendment. The proponents fell 7 votes short of the 60 votes they needed. I opposed that amendment because it would have forced the Senate to consider the commission's recommendations using a fasttrack process. It would have outsourced our job to the commission. The Senator from Kansas proposes a commission that also would create a fasttrack process. It would also put vital programs like Medicare, farm programs, and veterans' programs in the crosshairs. Thus, all who opposed the Conrad-Gregg commission on process grounds should oppose this amendment for the same reasons. As well, the Brownback commission would address only the spending side of the budget. So those who wanted a broader commission should have that reason to oppose this commission, as well. I have been advised that the chairman of the Budget Committee, Senator Conrad, joins me in opposing this commission. I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment. I yield back the remainder of my time and ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be. The question is on agreeing to amendment No. 3309. The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk called the roll. The result was announced--yeas 51, nays 49, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No.…”