Don Nickles: “I am going to speak in opposition to both amendments. To remind our colleagues, we expect a vote on both of the…”

“I am going to speak in opposition to both amendments. To remind our colleagues, we expect a vote on both of the amendments offered by our friend and colleague from North Dakota, Senator Conrad, at 5 o'clock. Both of these amendment also are very important. Let me just address the first Conrad amendment, the first one we will vote on. In my opinion, it is fatally flawed for a couple of reasons. One, it creates a new 60-vote point of order against the spending and tax legislation until the President sends Congress a report on the cost of the war and reconstruction of Iraq. I think it is a serious mistake for Congress to ever limit itself depending on what another branch of Government does, whether it is the executive or the judicial branch. I think that is a serious mistake. Certainly if you think of balance of powers, does that really make sense? I don't think so. So I urge my colleagues to support a budget point of order against it.”