Thomas Daschle: “I am pleased the majority leader mentioned Healthy Forests. I would have done it if I had remembered. Of course, Senator…”

“I am pleased the majority leader mentioned Healthy Forests. I would have done it if I had remembered. Of course, Senator Cochran and I had a very good conversation yesterday. Based on that conversation and his assurances that extraneous material would not be included in conference, we are prepared to go to conference now. We have had good success in reaching agreement on the forest health provisions of the bill. There are other issues that still remain to be addressed. I share the view of the majority leader that we are now at a moment where I think we ought to try to complete our work. It would be great if at the end of the day we could set aside the pending legislation and pass that conference report. I think we are going to get a good broad bipartisan vote on the legislation. I applaud those who have taken us to this point. This is good legislation. It deserves support. I look forward to finishing work on that bill as well. I yield the floor.”