Trent Lott: “I would hope some of them would not be offered or could be withdrawn or could be accepted in the manager's package. We…”

“I would hope some of them would not be offered or could be withdrawn or could be accepted in the manager's package. We should be close to finishing this legislation. We had indicated for days, including at the beginning of this bill, that we needed to complete action tonight because we have other very important work to do this week. I know Senators Kennedy, Jeffords, and others were ready to go back to the education bill in the morning. That, too, is very important. And we need the time to go into conference between the Members of this body and the other body and complete action on this very important legislation. I know of no legislation that will be more important than what we are doing tonight. I have been very diligent as all Senators know, in trying to be respectful of Senators' needs to do other events. It is getting harder and harder. There is an event every night. There are events during the day. And we try to accommodate all Senators. But I think that as close as we are, and as far as we have come, if the Senators will just forbear--and we will work with the managers of the legislation--we could complete it tonight.”