Thomas Daschle: “Obviously, we have attempted in good faith to offer the minimum wage amendment to a number of other bills simply…”

“Obviously, we have attempted in good faith to offer the minimum wage amendment to a number of other bills simply because, as the minority, we do not have the opportunity to have an up-or-down vote on the minimum wage. Studies have shown that an increase in the minimum wage provide over 100 times more benefit to the consumer and to the average working family than this meager amount of tax relief will provide. So what is wrong with having a good debate on this and other amendments? That is really the essence of the Senate. It is to have a debate about amendments, offered by the minority or the majority, to improve legislation--make it more responsive to people. We are simply trying as best we can to protect our rights in this case as we have in so many other cases. That seems to me to be the price of working through legislation on this bill and on other bills. So, yes, it is our intention to offer the minimum wage amendment and other amendments to this bill as the current majority did when they were in the minority.”