Patrick Leahy: “for all of the recent talk from the majority about up-or-down votes, and allegations of Democratic obstruction on…”

“for all of the recent talk from the majority about up-or-down votes, and allegations of Democratic obstruction on amendments, I find it astounding that the Republican majority has locked up Senator Enzi's bill and will not allow amendments to be offered. We now face exactly the type of obstruction the majority has decried so loudly. On a bill for which Senator Enzi has urged full debate, the Republican majority has now decided the Senate and the American people we represent should not get the benefit of the full legislative process. For example, I am being prohibited from offering an amendment to help prevent medical malpractice insurers from bid rigging, price fixing, and other anticompetitive behavior that hurts doctors and patients. For another, we are prohibited from offering an amendment to extend the arbitrary deadline for seniors to sign up for prescription drug benefits without a penalty. Why not provide our seniors more time and assistance in examining the prescription drug provisions that have frustrated so many? Seniors did not grow up in the computer age and many are not trained accountants who can sift through the confusion. They should not be penalized by an arbitrary cutoff date which could easily be extended. This week, the Senate has already refused to proceed to legislation that would have abridged our citizens' access to justice when they are injured by medical errors.…”