Political Quotes

“My understanding from the sponsors--Senators Coburn and McCaskill is they are not yet ready. In other words, we have been talking with them. I have already indicated to Senator Coburn that I would be a cosponsor of his proposal. We now have what amounts to not just a private acknowledgment that the point of the Senator from South Carolina is valid but a public one on the floor of the Senate. I say to my colleague, my understanding from the sponsors is that they are not yet ready to bring this before the Senate, and that is why I am hopeful that--given the acknowledgment that the Senator from South Carolina has a valid point with respect to making sure bills are actually read, my hope would be that the Senator from South Carolina would let Senator Grassley and me go forward, finally have that vote, given the fact we have spent more than a decade laying the groundwork, and that we could at least make some progress today in the Senate. Mr. DeMINT. Mr. President, I thank the Senator. I think if we waited a decade for this amendment, we can spend another day or two to get it right. If the Senator is certainly supportive of their language, I know their legislative staff well enough that we can get this incorporated with the language of the Senator from Oregon probably in a few hours and get this amendment done. I will be happy to help with that effort. I thank the Senator for his interest in cooperating. I thank the Presiding Officer. I yield the floor.”