Trent Lott: “I will respond to the question and comments framing that question by the Senator from Minnesota. I appreciate what he…”

“I will respond to the question and comments framing that question by the Senator from Minnesota. I appreciate what he has had to say. And I appreciate his interest in getting this assistance provided. He has been constructive and helpful in that he has been suggesting a variety of ways we could try to come to an agreement on how to proceed here. He is absolutely right that, as a matter of fact, what we passed last week was a compromise. There had been funds added, language added. And, as a matter of fact, the language dealing with the Government shutdown prevention was a compromise provision. Senator McCain, one of the original sponsors, along with Senator Hutchison, offered an amendment and actually raised the level of funding whereby the Government would continue basically at the current year level until an agreement was reached on the next year's appropriations bills. So it was compromise language. I mean, it should not go without people's notice that it got 67 votes here in the Senate. This matter can be resolved. It can be done quickly. It could have already been dealt with if the President just signed the bill. The President is not without tools to work with the Congress. But he must understand--and I know the American people understand--that we, as representatives of the people, have a coequal voice in this Government. We have a right to be heard. And we have a right to have very important issues that we are concerned about addressed.”