Thomas Daschle: “I regret that we have not been able to find a final and successful resolution to our discussions which have extended now…”

“I regret that we have not been able to find a final and successful resolution to our discussions which have extended now over the course of several days. I think it is important to lay out what has happened to date and where we are so everybody knows what the circumstances are. As everyone knows, the legislation came to the floor immediately and a cloture vote was filed on the motion to proceed. I supported that motion to proceed because I felt it was important that we move on to the legislation. There was some concern expressed about other unrelated matters, and so there was a divided vote on the motion to proceed, but it was an overwhelming vote. We then got to the bill itself, and I expressed the desire on the part of many of our colleagues that we have a right to offer amendments. It was at that point that cloture was filed again, prior to the time we had the chance to offer even the first amendment. Cloture was not invoked, as the record shows. That began a series of negotiations about amendments.”