Thomas Daschle: “earlier this morning, we had the opportunity to vote on the economic package that we have been working on now for some…”

“earlier this morning, we had the opportunity to vote on the economic package that we have been working on now for some period of time. Our deliberations on this subject began almost 6 months ago. In fact, I do not think that the timing of this action is a coincidence. Monday will mark the 6-month anniversary of September 11. It will also be the days that workers who lost their livelihoods on September 11 will exhaust their unemployment benefits. Those who have until now opposed a bipartisan economic recovery bill, and the unemployment insurance extension it includes, have wisely decided to relent in their opposition before the anniversary of that awful day arrives. Two months ago, I proposed a common-ground economic recovery bill that contained only provisions supported by both parties. It included a 13-week unemployment extension, tax rebates for persons left out of last year's tax cut, business tax cuts to spur investment and create jobs, and fiscal relief for the states.”