Chuck Schumer: “I salute our Democratic leader. I know, because he has expressed it to me in very clear terms, how much he dislikes this…”

“I salute our Democratic leader. I know, because he has expressed it to me in very clear terms, how much he dislikes this bill. Instead of trying to delay, he has come up with a reasonable proposal. As I said, the bill is a bitter pill for many to swallow. They have a different view on class action lawsuits than I do or my good friend from California, who just came into the Chamber, but they are willing to do it because they know there is a majority of 61 or 62 who basically support this proposal. So the bottom line, again, is the Senator from South Dakota has made a reasonable proposal. He is not offering dilatory tactics, and I hope that proposal will be accepted. I have not been a Member of this body as long as many of my colleagues, but in my 6 years, I have come to appreciate that the Senate is designed to be a deliberative body. Sometimes the Senate lives up to this grand tradition of debate and process very well, but at other times, and that is what it looks like is happening up to now today, we fail. We have to let the deliberative process of the Senate take its course if the Class Action Fairness Act is to become law.”