Mark Dayton: “I came to the Senate a little over 2 years ago, believing the most urgent matter facing our country in the area of…”

“I came to the Senate a little over 2 years ago, believing the most urgent matter facing our country in the area of social legislation was to provide prescription drug coverage for all of our elderly. I have been dismayed at our inability--all of us--to reach necessary agreements so such legislation could be enacted. I could not agree more with the Senator from Virginia that this is something I hope our colleagues will consider. If there is a better approach that we can all agree on this year, then so be it. But in the absence of that, as there has been that failure during the last 2 years, I hope our colleagues will look at this as a very feeling alternative. Even if long-term legislation is enacted, I believe it will be at least a year or two before that is available to our senior citizens, before that program is set up.”