Harry Reid: “I hesitated because I think the final statements you have made here have so dramatically painted a picture of why we…”

“I hesitated because I think the final statements you have made here have so dramatically painted a picture of why we need to do something, not next Congress but now. I say to my two friends, the sponsors of this amendment, I personally very much appreciate the offering of this amendment. I appreciate it because we have had some other good amendments that have been defeated. But you have taken the approach that there are a lot of things that need to be done, that rifle shots won't work. We need to take into consideration the full impact of the Rudman report and do something about it. I am convinced, as the Senator has indicated, the amount the Senators have suggested is really too small. But I say to everyone within the sound of my voice, let's say the distinguished Americans who wrote that report are 10 percent off and they are asking for 10 percent more than is really needed. What harm will be done from that because we have too much protection? We all know what can happen if we do not have enough protection. I know the people of the State of Nevada are scrambling. On any given day in Las Vegas there are 300,000 tourists. People who are firefighters, police officers, medical personnel, when something goes wrong, have to take care of those tourists just as they do with someone born there. I was born in the State of Nevada. But they have as much responsibility to take care of the tourists from Connecticut as I do.”