Russ Feingold: “my amendment is eminently reasonable. This body is considering a bill that is very likely to become law. We have a…”

“my amendment is eminently reasonable. This body is considering a bill that is very likely to become law. We have a responsibility to take that bill seriously, to actually examine its contents. All my amendment will do is, first, require the Congressional-Executive Commission to make recommendations in its report. Secondly, we would require the commission to report to the Senate as well as to the House. Currently, under the bill, the commission reports only to the House International Relations Committee. And third, it will create a mechanism whereby any Member of the Senate can call the commission recommendations up on the floor so that these issues are not the exclusive purview of certain committees. The amendment will not require the commission to affirmatively approve extension of PNTR. It will not infringe on any Member's right to amend legislation on the floor. I think it is difficult to argue that this amendment does not improve the commission and the bill. I urge my colleagues to take this process seriously. I urge them to support this amendment. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays on my amendment.”