Jeff Bingaman: “I think we are to the point where it is not responsible for the Senate to go on with its other business if we cannot get…”

“I think we are to the point where it is not responsible for the Senate to go on with its other business if we cannot get agreement among Senators to bring up this very important matter on a timely basis. I think clearly we can do other work while we wait for the time certain to bring up the Chemical Weapons Convention, but if we cannot get agreement to bring it up, then I do not think it is responsible for us to go ahead and proceed with business as usual. Unfortunately, under the rules of the Senate, the only option available to those of us in the minority is to insist that this issue, which is time sensitive, be given attention by the Senate or at least get scheduled for attention by the Senate before we proceed to other matters. We do have a responsibility, though, to have a final vote on this treaty in a timely fashion, and I think until we can get agreement to do that, it is very difficult to proceed with business as usual.”