Arlen Specter: “I do not intend to appeal the ruling of the Chair because I do not wish to establish a precedent for nongermane…”

“I do not intend to appeal the ruling of the Chair because I do not wish to establish a precedent for nongermane amendments to be heard on appropriations bills. This has been a procedural quagmire which has been very problemsome for the Senate for a very long time and has a special impact on my own views, since I am a member of the Appropriations Committee. I regret that the issue of germaneness was raised and a point of order was raised, but I thought it was important to put this resolution before the body. I do believe it is the appropriate way to establish a standard--much preferable to having a filibuster and trying to block the work of the Senate to establish a standard which would apply to both parties or both sides that a very reasonable cutoff date is the August recess. This year it started on August 4. Now the matter was considered in the Judiciary Committee. It was not tabled. There was a vote on the merits; not that that makes a lot of difference, it was 10-9. But with the point of order having been raised by the assistant majority leader, there may be some political evaluation by the electorate of the position taken by the Democrats on this issue. It is not an unusual practice to have amendments offered on the Senate floor, and those who oppose them will have to explain them to their constituencies.”