Byron Dorgan: “I would hope that Senator Lott, the majority leader, would understand that when the Senate Commerce Committee marks up a…”

“I would hope that Senator Lott, the majority leader, would understand that when the Senate Commerce Committee marks up a piece of legislation and passes it with only one dissenting vote, a piece of legislation that is embraced by Republicans and Democrats in the Senate Commerce Committee, that that would not be work that is discarded as we move to begin consideration of a comprehensive tobacco bill. There is a reason for a committee system in the Congress, and that is to work through committees to develop a proposal, and bring that proposal to the floor of the Senate. I would be very disappointed if the majority leader intends one way or the other to bring a piece of legislation to the floor which is vastly different than that which was passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee.”