Thomas Daschle: “I commend both the chairman and the Democratic manager for their work on this bill over the last couple of days. I…”

“I commend both the chairman and the Democratic manager for their work on this bill over the last couple of days. I commend them for all that they have done. I think we will see a very strong vote as final passage is recorded this afternoon. It is largely to their credit. I particularly want to commend my colleague Senator Kerrey for the tremendous job that he has done over the course of now more than 12 months of work in an effort that has led to the point where we will pass what has been, at times, a very controversial issue. To see the overwhelming vote today is a tribute to him and to the leadership that he showed on the Commission and on the floor, and certainly in the committee. While I have made no reservations about the difficulty many of us have with regard to the offset, an offset that I hope can be addressed in conference, an offset that will cost the Treasury and U.S. taxpayers some $46 billion--if it is possible to say ``except for that,'' I will say: Except for that, this legislation is a major accomplishment that deserves the support on both sides of the aisle.”