Byron Dorgan: “the second-degree amendment to the first-degree amendment that was offered by the Senator from Arizona is an amendment…”

“the second-degree amendment to the first-degree amendment that was offered by the Senator from Arizona is an amendment that has been worked out over a period of several days dealing with the grandfather clause. It is something that I think represents a workable solution which improves the legislation. It would be my hope that the Senate would approve it. I do want to point out that the amendment that was referred to by Senator McCain would be an amendment dealing with the length of the moratorium. My understanding is that the passage of the first-degree and second-degree amendments would leave in place a 3-year moratorium with respect to this legislation. The Senator from Arizona would then offer an amendment, and I believe there would be a recorded vote after some debate on that amendment, that would propose that the 3-year moratorium be extended to 4 years, and the Senate then would make a judgment on that question. I offer that by way of explanation of what is happening here. I hope the Senate will approve by voice vote the first- and second-degree amendments.”