Byron Dorgan: “I think people will look at this debate and say: What on Earth is going on here? The Senate at least ought to be able to…”

“I think people will look at this debate and say: What on Earth is going on here? The Senate at least ought to be able to organize. I listened to some of this debate. For example, my friend from Arizona, Mr. Kyl, said part of the reason we have to do this right now is because we have all this unfinished business from last year. In fact, Senator Daschle could not pass a budget last year, he said. That is true, we could not pass a budget because my friend from Arizona and his friends would not vote for it. That is why we could not pass a budget. The fact is, there is a lot of discussion around here surrounding this resolution. I, again, ask the Senator from Nevada, isn't this the simplest possible issue to solve, and doesn't it send a message to every kid in school: If you ever say fractions do not matter, come listen to this debate because we have a circumstance where the majority is now saying: We have slightly over half of the Senate, 51 Members; you have almost half of the Senate, 49, but we want two-thirds of the money. The next time a kid says fractions do not matter, go talk to the folks who say it is true, we have just a little over a half but we want two-thirds of the money with respect to the Senate. My point is, I assume this could be resolved this afternoon, and, in my judgment, it should be resolved this afternoon by doing exactly what was done in the last Congress.”