David Thomas: “I tell my friend, the gentleman from Tennessee, that if this resolution was the first section only, which reads, ``Take…”

“I tell my friend, the gentleman from Tennessee, that if this resolution was the first section only, which reads, ``Take all necessary steps to begin meetings of the conference,'' that would have been a voice vote and it would have been agreed to, in my opinion, unanimously. The concern obviously, as indicated by the two cosponsors of the bipartisan legislation, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood), is that by adding the second provision, it clearly means there is more of an interest in politics than in getting the conference going. The gentleman himself has been ambivalent in terms of his statement as to whether he is really going to support this resolution or not. I think he and I would agree both of us could support the first item. It is the addition of the second item that makes it partisan, and indeed I will enjoy watching the gentleman from Tennessee's mental wrestling bout with himself as to whether he decides to make it partisan by voting ``yes'' or that his conscience controls and he votes ``no.``”