Trent Lott: “I had hoped that in this debate and in this Congress, we would be able to maintain some semblance, some modicum of…”

“I had hoped that in this debate and in this Congress, we would be able to maintain some semblance, some modicum of courtesy. But it appears we have lost it all. I have been in Congress 35 years. I have been in the Senate 19 years. I have been in a variety of positions. Never before have I been denied or did I ever deny any Senator the opportunity to have a reservation on his right to object to a unanimous consent request. Now that has occurred. So that courtesy, one of the few remaining ones we have left in this institution, is gone. Let me correct some of the things that have been said here that the record will show, certainly, in the debate. The other side speaks about a new standard for 60 votes. That is interesting. During this Congress, 47 clotures have been filed. In the 106th Congress, there were 71; 107th, 72; 108th 62; the 109th, 68. This is not a new phenomenon. It has occurred all the time, regardless of whether Republicans or Democrats were in the majority. Even Senator Reid said twice this year: In the Senate it has always been the case you need 60 votes. I don't have 60 votes-- The particular issue he was referring to-- 60 votes are required for just about everything. That was what Senator Reid had to say earlier this year. We are ready to vote. We could have a vote on this amendment, the Levin-Reed amendment, right now.”