[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 8 (Wednesday, February 6, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S389-S390]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          A CLASSIC FILIBUSTER

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I will speak briefly about comments made by 
the Senator from Oklahoma. He is my dear friend, he is my counterpart, 
but I don't know how he kept a straight face, saying: We are not 
filibustering this bill. I am sure he went to his office and started 
laughing. This is a classic filibuster taking place on this bill--for 
weeks and weeks and weeks.
  Of course, amendments have been offered that we like. I heard Senator 
Allard talking about tax credits. We like tax credits. In fact, it is a 
shame we did not extend those. I ask unanimous consent the vote occur 
after we have used

[[Page S390]]

our time and the 4 minutes leadership time, so that the time of the 
vote will be changed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. That is the parliamentary situation.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, there are a lot of amendments that we 
offered and the minority offered that are good amendments. Being 
realistic, we spent all day yesterday talking about the estate tax, 
making the repeal permanent, which does not take place for 10 years. 
That is not very stimulative. We have been told by the President and 
others that to have stimulative efforts, it must be short term and do 
nothing to exacerbate the deficit. That simply does not apply in this 
instance.
  With all due respect to my friend, the minority whip, this is a 
filibuster by the Republicans. Everyone knows it is. Members can say it 
isn't as many times as they want, but it is still a filibuster.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I yield myself 15 seconds.
  Let me say why the Senator from Nevada is wrong. Yesterday at about 
this time, morning business was imposed. We could have discussed the 
amendments and voted in the morning, and then when we came back at 2:15 
after caucuses, there were opportunities to vote. It was announced 
there would be no more votes. If we are filibustering, how come the 
other side would not let us have time to vote on our amendments 
yesterday? Why piddle around the whole day?
  I yield 3 minutes to the Senator from Maine.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maine.

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