Russ Feingold: “today, the Senate allowed its budget process to be hijacked by those seeking to move a policy issue that has been…”

“today, the Senate allowed its budget process to be hijacked by those seeking to move a policy issue that has been rightly rejected so many times. I opposed the manipulation of process in the Budget Committee and I opposed final passage this evening. Using the reconciliation process to advance a single controversial policy--a policy that should be considered through the appropriate legislative channels--is shameless. We debated drilling in the Arctic last spring. We debated it again last fall, and at that time, a number of House Republicans shot the idea down. Then, in December, we wasted more time on the issue. This year, nine members of the Budget Committee reached out ahead of time to Chairman Gregg and Ranking Member Conrad asking that the budget process not be used to revisit drilling in the Arctic Refuge, and yet, it was. I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the letter be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: U.S. Senate, Washington, DC, March 6, 2006. Hon. Judd Gregg, Chairman, Budget Committee, Washington, DC. Hon. Kent Conrad, Ranking Member, Budget Committee Washington, DC.…”