Byron Dorgan: “I respectfully say that the Senator from Oklahoma is not accurate when he says that his side is willing to entertain…”

“I respectfully say that the Senator from Oklahoma is not accurate when he says that his side is willing to entertain amendments; I do not see a problem here; let's bring it on and have amendments and a discussion. That is exactly what the majority leader has denied. That is exactly what the majority leader said he will not allow to happen on the floor of the Senate. If the Senator from Oklahoma is speaking for the majority leader on this issue, I say get the Democratic leader on the line, make an agreement, and let's have this issue on the floor where some amendments can be offered and votes taken, and we will see how people feel about the estate tax. The Senator from Oklahoma is not accurate in leaving the impression that this has been a reasonable circumstance here and they are willing to entertain all kinds of amendments. That is not the case at all. In fact, our side has offered a reasonable number of amendments with time agreements, and the majority leader has said no, and that is the fact.”