Don Nickles: “I will respond to a couple of comments made by my colleague and friend from Massachusetts. One, he is absolutely…”

“I will respond to a couple of comments made by my colleague and friend from Massachusetts. One, he is absolutely, totally, completely wrong on many of the statements that he made, particularly in saying the Republican leadership wouldn't allow this bill to come to the floor, allow a debate to happen on the floor of the Senate on health care. As the Senator should be aware, we have already made a couple of offers that we would try to accommodate some type of time agreement to bring up this issue this month. We are still working on it. My colleague was absolutely incorrect when he said the Republicans were insisting that, if we win, we can still put this bill back on the calendar. That wasn't our request. That wasn't our statement. It is not our last request. I am reading the unanimous consent request given on June 25 or 26 which said votes held on final passage--if read the third time, the Senate votes on passage of the bill without any intervening action or debate. The Senate will request a conference with the House, the chair will be authorized to appoint conferees, and the Senate-House care bill will be placed on the calendar. I make those points. We are willing to have debate on the bill. We are willing to consider different options--both the House and the Senate, the proposal by my friend and colleague from Massachusetts, as well as the substitute that I am working on with some of our other colleagues. We will have a debate on the floor.”