Don Nickles: “If the Senator will yield a little further, I will be happy to shop it on our side. I do happen to think there are…”

“If the Senator will yield a little further, I will be happy to shop it on our side. I do happen to think there are overwhelming majorities--probably on both sides of the aisle. We passed TPA out of the Finance Committee 18 to 3. Andean trade passed unanimously, I believe, in the Finance Committee. Trade adjustment assistance was considered and, frankly, the trade adjustment assistance that is in this bill never passed committee and some of us object to that. We are willing to have amendments to it. We are willing to find out where the votes are, if that is the way we have to go. Hopefully, some of the negotiations that are taking place today can help solve some of those problems. But we all know we need to move forward on all three pieces of legislation. I urge our colleagues, let's do it. I do question the wisdom of putting all three together. Historically--I remember Senator Byrd and I having a big debate on line-item veto and I used to say we should have a bill veto. Is it fair to the President of the United States to submit all three bills, each different, and say take it all or leave it all? He loses his Executive power or ability to sign or veto individual pieces of legislation. I hope we will consider trying to expedite this, come up with time agreements, pass all three bills, and let's see if we can get all three done by the Memorial Day break.”