Russ Feingold: “Let me take a moment, and reserve the right to object, to thank both of the leaders for coming together on this issue.…”

“Let me take a moment, and reserve the right to object, to thank both of the leaders for coming together on this issue. It is of tremendous importance to everyone here in this body and to the American people. And I think they both have an extremely difficult task in dealing with an issue like this that is of such personal importance to each Member of the Senate. It is very heartening to know that we have an agreement that will allow the open debate on this issue. Last year when the debate came up, there were no amendments and a cloture vote within 2 days. It was not a great opportunity for the body and for the members of the public to be involved in. So I think this is a great step forward. I want to thank my leader, Senator Daschle, for his persistence on this. I want to thank the President for his absolutely relentless support of our legislation for over 2 years now. And I appreciate his involvement in this as well. But overall, what I think we have seen here is a bipartisan ability to come together on timing. I hope it leads to a bipartisan ability to come together on a meaningful piece of legislation.”