Max Baucus: “I appreciate the Senator withdrawing his amendment. Had he not, I would have had to oppose it. It basically waives the…”

“I appreciate the Senator withdrawing his amendment. Had he not, I would have had to oppose it. It basically waives the Davis- Bacon requirements instruction for the Sandy rehabilitation projects. It is a bad idea, and we shouldn't have been on that road. Second, it changes the Code with respect to giving rules and also with respect to penalties with respect to withdrawals from IRAs. I don't think that is a good idea. More importantly, the fancy term is, it makes this bill blue-slipped; that is, because it is a revenue provision the Senator is offering and it did not originate in the other body, the other body would say: I am sorry, under the Constitution, revenue bills have to begin in the other body--in the House. This didn't begin over there. It began here, this provision, and so they would not even take up the bill. For that reason, I am glad the Senator withdrew his amendment, because it would cause unnecessary problems for people who deserve a lot of help in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. I thank the Senator. Mr. President, might I inquire of the Chair or the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, who is managing this bill, whether I might speak on a subject? Now, I don't want to speak out of turn, but I was going to make a brief statement with respect to the fiscal cliff and urging a resolution, showing with the chart I have here that we are not that far apart, but I don't want to get in the way here.…”