Trent Lott: “I regret that we have to take this action in order to get our business done on a very important environmental issue.…”

“I regret that we have to take this action in order to get our business done on a very important environmental issue. This sort of selective hit certainly, I think, would not be in the best interests of the legislative process of the Senate. We want to get Superfund legislation considered by the committee to the floor. We want to hear from witnesses such as the Governor of Nebraska and citizens who are affected by this. It seems to me the normal way of doing business around here is that is allowed to happen. Mr. President, the saber rattling has begun. After bipartisan cooperation by Senate Democrats and Republicans over the past several months, it seems as though the Democrats have now returned to the preening and posturing of politicians more interested in blocking and obstructing the other side than concern for the interests of the American people. Senate Democrats have effectively withdrawn from the bipartisan spirit of negotiation and compromise that has been evidenced regarding the budget and tax bills recently enacted by the Congress. Mr. President, the minority is, in effect, threatening to shut down the effective operation of the Senate. Now, they can call it selective cooperation or some other slick phrase that seeks to skirt the truth of the matter, but the American people are too smart for these word games, or, in Washington speak, for deceptive political spin.”