John Ensign: “I believe strongly this research is accurate and that the precedent we will be setting is a very dangerous precedent.…”

“I believe strongly this research is accurate and that the precedent we will be setting is a very dangerous precedent. Today's vote is not just about whether the Senate should allow nuclear waste to be dumped in Nevada. It is also about the authority of the majority leader, and the very meaning of a Senate majority. According to the rules of the Senate, it is true, any member may offer a motion to proceed to a bill or resolution. In practice, we all know that's not the way it works. The Senate isn't governed just by rules; it is also governed by traditions. And one of those traditions is that the majority leader--and only the majority leader--can set the Senate's agenda by deciding which legislation will be considered.”