Thomas Daschle: “I have concerns about where we are with regard to this issue on at least two counts. First of all, the procedural count…”

“I have concerns about where we are with regard to this issue on at least two counts. First of all, the procedural count: I wish I had $1 for every occasion when Republicans would lament the fact that the committee process was bypassed. Yet here we are. There has been no hearing. There has been no markup. There has been no committee consideration at all of what is one of the most complex and extremely controversial issues to face the Senate and the country. To bypass the entire committee process and bring the bill straight to the floor does an injustice to the issue. As Senator Reid has noted, a bill of this magnitude deserves careful consideration, deserves the opportunity to be heard, and deserves the chance to have some debate in the committee among the experts who know this issue. I think it would be very helpful. It is interesting that the president of the Tort Reform Association said don't count on insurance premiums going down if this legislation passes. I think Senators need to know that.”