Harry Reid: “The Senator has asked if I would respond or reconsider. I have the greatest respect for the Senator from Maine. We have…”

“The Senator has asked if I would respond or reconsider. I have the greatest respect for the Senator from Maine. We have worked together on many issues. She is a fine legislator, but she is simply wrong. It seems somewhat unusual to me that in the waning hours of this congressional session, suddenly we want to have a debate on Medicare give-backs and prescription drugs. We have fought the minority all year long on many issues. On the list, of course, is prescription drugs. That is the second one we have here. We were forced to pass something that is good, but certainly not what we wanted with the generic drug bill. It is buried in the dark hole of the Republican-led House of Representatives because they will not go to conference. We have the Medicare give-backs, which is so important for the people of the State of Nevada and Maine and Vermont, West Virginia and Montana, any State in the Union, a very important piece of legislation. That is ready to move. We could pass that in a matter of minutes. The prescription drug bill I referenced, the Graham-Miller legislation, had extended debate on the floor. We have heard enough about that. People understand the issue. It got a majority vote. We don't need another amendable item on which we have, frankly, your side stall, stall, stall, as you have done all year long. I have reconsidered.…”