Harry Reid: “the two managers of this bill have worked very hard. Recognizing how hard they have worked, the staff has worked even…”

“the two managers of this bill have worked very hard. Recognizing how hard they have worked, the staff has worked even harder. I have relayed to the majority leader that in addition to the fact that it is Friday, and we have all had a hard week, we have to keep in proper perspective, whether people want to acknowledge it or not, that we have had a number of Senators who have recently had surgery and have been ill. Not a single one of those Senators has come to me asking that we cut them some slack. But we know that we should do that. Some of them came back to work earlier than they should have. They have violated doctors' instructions to be here. Senator Byrd has talked to us. We recognize that his wife is very ill. Senator Byrd is doing everything he can to keep a watchful eye on his wife. I hope we have proven during this week--we, the minority--that we are not trying to do anything to slow up this important piece of legislation. I have trouble understanding what is the magic of finishing this bill today. If there is magic there, it would take magic to complete it because we cannot complete the bill today. It would be my recommendation that we work for a reasonable time this evening. If the leader wants to come back tomorrow, come back sometime at a reasonable time tomorrow, do that. But I have to say we would be better served by completing our work early this evening and coming back next week and finishing this bill.”