Harry Reid: “I have given several statements this week on pension reform. I believe that we should move forward. I have given all the…”

“I have given several statements this week on pension reform. I believe that we should move forward. I have given all the statistical numbers. People who are watching this would tend to agree that seven Republicans is OK with the majority. Eight is not. Nine is, if there is a three-vote margin. I am saying that we should have a conference. The Senate, whether it is fair or unfair, has worked for 224 years. These conferences ordinarily are fairly easy. It is fairly easy to go to conference. What we are saying is, let's have another Republican and another Democrat or two more Republicans and two more Democrats. There will still be a two-vote margin that the Republicans have. Why can't we go to conference? That is what every one of my statements has said. I have said that and I gave reasons. What are the reasons for this? I gave an example yesterday about some of my trial experience. Are you trying to--juries usually come up with the right result, not always for the right reasons, but they usually come up with the right results. So do conference committees. So I am saying, let's go to conference. I am willing on my side to make choices as to who should go. But I say that we have the HELP Committee and we have the Finance Committee. Both have jurisdiction on this matter. I don't think it is asking too much to have three Senators representing the Finance Committee, three Senators representing the HELP Committee. That is what I am asking, rather than five.”