Russ Feingold: “I oppose each portion of the bill. It is very unbalanced, and there is far too much money behind the bill. I oppose the…”

“I oppose each portion of the bill. It is very unbalanced, and there is far too much money behind the bill. I oppose the minimum wage portion because it involves 3 years rather than 2 years. I am especially concerned about the tax piece because it involves some $70 billion-plus that isn't paid for. The reason I am objecting is because of the way this was put together. It got a high number of the majority by combining these different elements. In effect, the pot was sweetened by adding on the minimum wage and the tax provisions. I think it is inappropriate at this point to sort of bait and switch this. You close up the bill by putting these things together, and when they come back, you can't do anything about it under this procedure; it flies through. All we are asking, as Senators Kennedy and Wellstone have said, is that we have an opportunity to have the motions to instruct, and the minority leader's plan would provide that. That is the reason for my objection.”