Trent Lott: “I have enjoyed listening to the remarks of the Senator from Florida. I thought about this proposal a great deal, as he…”

“I have enjoyed listening to the remarks of the Senator from Florida. I thought about this proposal a great deal, as he knows. I have talked to him about it. When the suggestion was originally made, I cosponsored his legislation now in the form of this amendment. I hesitated to do it because I just really thought that the answer to the problem with the deficit and the growing debt is for Congress to face up to the problem and make tough decisions. I am one who has never been a big fan, quite frankly, of the Base Closure Commission because I did feel as if, once again, we were sort of abdicating our role to a commission, with recommendations, admittedly, from the Pentagon, and with the President's involvement because he had to approve it and because we had to approve the final product. I was concerned it was going to lead to some decisions that would be very questionable and court actions and a lot of other things. But I have to admit that it accomplished what the original sponsor, Congressman Armey of Texas, intended, and most Senators have supported its continuation.”