John Cornyn: “I think we are actually making progress. I am delighted to hear the Senator from Illinois agree with what it sounded…”

“I think we are actually making progress. I am delighted to hear the Senator from Illinois agree with what it sounded like the minority leader stated earlier, that they have some problems with this bill as written, and they acknowledge the problem of medical liability crisis exists and suggest we ought to try to find some way to address that crisis which they concede is very real. Senator Durbin said it is not the right approach. My question would be, Well, what is the right approach? Senator Daschle said there is no reason to differentiate between those who walk in the front door of a hospital and those who get emergency care. I will concede the good faith of that question. The problem is we offered that bill earlier and were unsuccessful in getting cloture so we could actually get to the merits of the bill and debate it. Of course, not until we get to that 60-vote hurdle where we can actually move the bill on to the floor can the bill be amended. Indeed, that is how the Senate does its work. But I wonder whether it is the intention of our friends on the other side of the aisle to have a good-faith debate about how to solve this problem.”