Max Baucus: “Albert Einstein once advised, everything should be made as simple as possible but not simpler. In other words, know when…”

“Albert Einstein once advised, everything should be made as simple as possible but not simpler. In other words, know when you have done enough. On the JOBS bill that will soon be before the Senate today, we are near time when we have done enough. The Senate has returned to the JOBS bill now for the 14th separate day over the course of 5 separate weeks. The Senate has considered 28 separate amendments. It adopted 17 separate amendments. Many of the amendments the Senate considered, such as Senator Harkin's amendment on overtime regulations and Senator Wyden's amendment on trade adjustment assistance, have not been strictly germane to the bill at hand. The modern Senate does not regularly devote such time and freedom of amendment to major bills. It is really not that normal for the Senate to consider every amendment until no other Senator seeks to offer amendments. My colleagues will remember the Senator from Louisiana, Russell Long. Senator Long served as chairman of the Finance Committee from 1965 to 1981. When Russell Long would bring a major tax bill to the Senate floor, he would frequently file cloture early, just to require that amendments be germane.”