Thomas Daschle: “the message in this vote is that now is the time for us to sit down and negotiate. I have said on several occasions, as…”

“the message in this vote is that now is the time for us to sit down and negotiate. I have said on several occasions, as late as this morning, that we are prepared to work with the majority. I will certainly work with the majority leader to bring to the floor a bill that will enjoy much broader support than 59 votes. We can do that. We recognize the need for reform, but we also recognize we have to do it right. I would like to start this afternoon. I will do it tomorrow. I will do it whenever the majority is prepared to do it, but we are prepared to do it, and I look forward to further discussions on this issue in the days ahead. After that, I hope we can move to other issues that divide us. I think there is an opportunity on asbestos as well, but it takes real negotiation. I am prepared to enter into those negotiations anytime the majority is prepared to do so as well. I yield the floor.”