Byron Dorgan: “I shall not extend much beyond that. But I did want to add my voice to the voice of Senator Byrd and express, as I…”

“I shall not extend much beyond that. But I did want to add my voice to the voice of Senator Byrd and express, as I indicated previously, two things. First, my gratitude for the resources that are in this bill that would be available and helpful to the victims of the flood in my State; and, second and also important, my concern about the unnecessary delay. The conference report is a conference report to provide emergency appropriations. The emergency appropriations are necessary to respond to natural disasters. But, of course, there are issues in this conference report that determine that it will not become law. The conference report, if it were on my desk, I would hold it up and say, 'This is not going to be law, and everyone in this Chamber knows it.' It is part of the process that is so frustrating from time to time in this Chamber. What is unusual is that a bill providing for disaster relief to thousands and thousands of people is now being used for that purpose. That's unusual. That's unprecedented.”