Russ Feingold: “obviously, not only do I respect what the Senator from Connecticut is doing, but I know his intentions are absolutely to…”

“obviously, not only do I respect what the Senator from Connecticut is doing, but I know his intentions are absolutely to have the strongest possible bill we can have. What I am trying to do, as strongly as I feel about this issue-- because, again, Wisconsin has had this system, and it has worked just fine. So based on my own personal experience, this is not some kind of a crazy system. Nonetheless, what I am trying to get at is a way that we could have a rule, that even if somebody is technically considered a lobbyist--or we could do it some other way--they just could not use company resources to purchase the meal. That seems to me to be a very reasonable step. When somebody goes out to lunch or dinner with somebody, it is one thing if they buy a friend or even someone they just met a meal, it is another thing when they are using that company credit card. So obviously I am interested in the amendment I have offered, but I would ask the Senator to think about whether what I am saying is an attempt to come to some kind of a reasonable agreement that actually addresses the hypothetical that he has raised. Mr. President, I retain the remainder of my time. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.”