Max Baucus: “Maybe we are making headway because the substitute amendment I will offer would not include Davis-Bacon, or may not…”

“Maybe we are making headway because the substitute amendment I will offer would not include Davis-Bacon, or may not consider some provisions the Senator is addressing. Again, to go back, there has to be an understanding on the Senator's side of the aisle that the amendments offered would be good-faith amendments and not obstructive political amendments. I thank the Senator for the dialog. Maybe we have made a little headway so we can get enough support to proceed to the bill. Mr. President, Samuel Johnson called a second marriage ``the triumph of hope over experience.'' Actually, that is where we are today. The Senate seeks a similar triumph of hope today because we are here again to consider the vote on a motion to proceed to H.R. 6049, the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008. This time I hope for a better result. And maybe somewhat, based on the discussion I just had with the Senator from Louisiana, we can find a way so that we can proceed to the bill and pass these very important provisions. This bill will foster clean, new energy sources. This is a bill to extend some very important tax provisions that benefit American families and businesses. This is a bill on which I hope to offer an amendment to stave off certain tax increases under the alternative minimum tax. Last Tuesday, we tried to do this same thing--move to this bill--but we fell short of 60 votes. Many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle were against moving to the bill.”