Thomas Daschle: “I want to commend those who have been involved in these discussions. I think we have made a lot of progress in the last…”

“I want to commend those who have been involved in these discussions. I think we have made a lot of progress in the last several hours. We just had a caucus. I think it is fair to say that much of what we reported to them was very well received. I think the question is whether or not, without having finalized the agreement and without knowing for sure just how it all affects current law, whether or not we are in a position yet tonight to come to closure. I think we are getting closer. I hope we can continue these negotiations, have an agreement that we could send out to everybody so in the next couple of days they could take a look at it, and then have a vote within a very limited timeframe on Tuesday. I would like to see if we can finish this on Tuesday and limit the votes and try to move this process along. So, I share the leader's desire to come to closure and his expressed hope that we could do it as early as next Tuesday.”