Bob Kerrey: “I do not believe that we should look for offsets. I am not an advocate of offsetting in order to pay for this disaster.…”

“I do not believe that we should look for offsets. I am not an advocate of offsetting in order to pay for this disaster. What we have is I think a situation where we are responding generously, and we ought, in my judgment, to pay for it. This particular amendment is merely a sense of the Senate that, as I said, I offer on behalf of Senator Robb and myself. Last year, we actually had an amendment that I offered which directed the conferees to include a gas tax. This year, I am merely offering a sense of the Senate. I think last year I got eight votes. I do not intend to ask for a rollcall on this particular year. But I do, Mr. President, point out that I think this is a very needed and healthy check.”