Kent Conrad: “I say very briefly that what the Senator from Arizona and the Senator from Massachusetts have said is exactly on point.…”

“I say very briefly that what the Senator from Arizona and the Senator from Massachusetts have said is exactly on point. We really now have one major outstanding issue, and that is the question of how tobacco farmers are treated in this legislation. Hopefully, that could be resolved in a way that would be acceptable to both sides. We understand discussions are under way, and we hope that they could be concluded. But really that is the one major issue left. Then we get on to a whole series of amendments that many Senators would like to offer. I can say for myself I have a number of amendments pending that I am willing to withhold in the interest of advancing this legislation. I have had lots of colleagues come to me this morning and say they, too, would be willing to withhold their amendments if that would advance actually reaching conclusion on this bill. We are in the fourth week. We have dealt with contentious issue after contentious issue. Now is the time to reach conclusion. I urge our colleagues on both sides, if they can, withhold amendments that they have pending so that after the farmer issue is resolved we can move to final passage.”