Max Baucus: “I hope we can vote on this fairly soon. Basically, let's remind ourselves this is an emergency. We have lost over 7…”

“I hope we can vote on this fairly soon. Basically, let's remind ourselves this is an emergency. We have lost over 7 million jobs in this recession. We are not out of the recession. Unemployment is close to 10 percent. We hope it comes down. This is an emergency and in emergency situations you take emergency action and that is why this legislation is necessary now. I hope when the economy does recover we have the fortitude to start to live within our means, as we should. Nobody debates that. But we are in a situation now where we have to make sure we extend those benefits and that Medicaid dollars go to the States right now because we are still in an emergency. I urge, frankly, the motion to waive the point of order. I hope it is successful.”