Trent Lott: “I certainly want to move this along. I want to have a vote on the Moynihan substitute on the death tax, and then have a…”

“I certainly want to move this along. I want to have a vote on the Moynihan substitute on the death tax, and then have a vote on our alternative. That would be the best way to proceed. We would have two votes and Senators could cast their votes accordingly, and we would move on. Instead, we have an agreement that will take all day and into the night. Instead of taking 2 or 3 hours, it will wind up taking probably 10 or 12 hours. I hope on the marriage penalty tax we could vote on the alternative. Senator Moynihan has a reasonable alternative. We could vote on that, vote on our alternative, and be through with the marriage penalty tax and move on to the appropriations bills. We do have a matter we are working through on both sides to try to deal with the question of nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, the language suggested by Senator Thompson. We are trying to find a way to get an agreement on the language and a way to consider that. We must do the people's business. We have to do these appropriations bills. We have to do at least four appropriations bills beyond the Interior appropriations bill. When we get that done, I don't see any problem then in moving to China PNTR. I can't make days out of whole cloth, and I can't make commitments until we get our work done. But we are all working on that, I think, in good faith. Senator Reid worked assiduously on these appropriations bills. Energy and water we may be able to do in a day or two.”