Trent Lott: “The drug patent. That tells you how much I know about this. First of all, I resent the fact that my integrity was…”

“The drug patent. That tells you how much I know about this. First of all, I resent the fact that my integrity was impugned. I do not act that way. This is not an issue that I have a direct personal interest in, even though I understand, I have been told, that this is intended to be a dagger aimed at my heart, that we are going to take out this drug patent to get at the majority leader. Why? This is a product for arthritic patients. It is not produced in my State. There is no plant in my State. I do not have a vested interest in this. I act at the request of my colleagues in the Senate, Republicans and Democrats, Senate and House, as a conferee. I was presented this issue as a fairness issue. I talked to a lot of different Congressmen and Senators. I talked to Congressman Walker of Pennsylvania. He is the first one that mentioned it to me. I did not know what he was talking about. There are Democratic Congressmen who spoke up in defense of this issue yesterday. I remind you, after questioning my integrity, Congressman Stark was one of only two--two--House Members who voted against that health insurance reform package. He is totally out of order, and I resent it. I am not going to tolerate that sort of thing. Also, Senators came to me from all over America, Republicans and Democrats, saying this is something that ought to be done--Senator Gorton of Washington, I do not know what his interest is; Senator Specter of Pennsylvania; Senator Santorum.”