On the recordNovember 4, 2003
But for anyone to come to the floor and suggest we are fiddling while Rome burns, that is simply untrue. Here is what we are concerned about. We have a situation where we have been eliminated from the conference process. Remember that the Senate is 49 to 51. It is not as if there is a huge majority. We have been eliminated from conferences. People are saying, Isn't it nice that the Medicare conference is allowing two Democrats in on the conference. But for any other Democrats to come, the conference is closed. For most conferences, we don't have anybody. What we have suggested on this bill and on the CARE Act and a number of other matters is that we go ahead and send what has been passed in the Senate to the House. If the House doesn't like it, they can send it back with amendments. We have done that many times.
Source
govinfo.gov
