On the recordMarch 4, 2011
At 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, we met in the Vice President's office. It was a very fine meeting. Vice President Biden was there. My friend, the Republican leader, me, the Speaker, and the minority leader of the House were there--McConnell, Reid, Boehner, and Pelosi. We spent about an hour there. The arrangement was that we would have a vote on H.R. 1 sometime next week and also a vote on the bill that we have just laid down, which is our alternative as to what we think should be done with the economy. I know our bill--because it is the way we have to do things here--is a long bill, and I am sure the minority wants to spend some time looking at that. But one way or the other we will either do it with an agreement or through my filing different procedural motions. We will get to a point next week where we will vote on H.R. 1, which we Democrats want to do.
