Harry Reid: “first, I agree we should be moving forward on the pension conference. It is very important. We are ready to do that. I…”

“first, I agree we should be moving forward on the pension conference. It is very important. We are ready to do that. I would also suggest that this budget reconciliation could already have been finished. We over here didn't choose what the majority leader brought to the floor. Instead of bringing to the floor the conference report dealing with taxes, he decided to bring asbestos, a bill that wasn't ready to come to the floor. We were ready to move on this any time last week. I say to my friend, the distinguished Senator from Mississippi, whom I have so enjoyed working with over the years, if we were truly trying to delay this legislation, we could do that. Under the rules, which I think should be changed, instead of having the 8 motions to instruct which we have, we could have 80 or 800. The rule is not good. We need to change this whole budget setup. Again, if this legislation had been brought to the floor last week rather than the asbestos legislation, we could have finished it. Also, I think we have been fairly direct in our amendments which we have on the conference report. They are not on subjects that are outside of the scope of this bill. We have one, which will be a motion to instruct, to not raise the debt ceiling.…”