[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 143 (Thursday, November 2, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S11506]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CLOTURE VOTE ON BANKRUPTCY REFORM

 Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, yesterday I voted against cloture 
on the bankruptcy reform bill. I voted against cloture even though I 
support bankruptcy reform, and even though I supported this legislation 
when it originally passed the Senate.
  However, I oppose the motion to invoke cloture because I am troubled 
by some of the actions of the Republican majority. Neither the House 
nor the Senate ever formally named any conferees. Instead, the majority 
created a sham conference, hollowing out the State Department 
authorization bill and inserting the provisions of the bankruptcy 
reform. And even though the original bankruptcy reform bill that passed 
the Senate was a product of bipartisan input, the majority party did 
not include any Democrats in the discussions regarding the final 
package. Negotiators made significant changes to the bill without any 
input from Democrats. Important provisions were dropped; others were 
changed dramatically. All of this without the benefit of a formal 
conference that allows for debate and compromise by both parties. Under 
these circumstances, I could not support cloture.
  I still support efforts to reform our bankruptcy laws, and I hope we 
can achieve this goal before the Senate adjourns sine die. I am 
disappointed by the way in which the legislative process has been 
twisted and broken by the majority in the development of this bill. 
That is why I opposed cloture.

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