[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 126 (Tuesday, October 1, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S9680]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           HOMELAND SECURITY

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I simply add to the comments I have just 
made to the Senator from Oklahoma, that we are going to finish the 
debate on homeland security, even if it is the night before the 
election. So I want those Senators on both sides of the aisle thinking 
that somehow this is going to go away to be very clear. We have voted 
now on cloture five times: Three times on the pending bill, the 
original bill, and twice on the Republican amendment--twice on the 
Republican amendment.

  I have offered the Republican leadership the opportunity for an up-
or-down vote on the Republican amendment, and I am still told that is 
not good enough. For the life of me, I do not know what else to do. But 
we will continue to have cloture votes. We will continue to stay here. 
To the extent we can, we will interrupt--and I use that word 
``interrupt'' as opposed to ``displace''--homeland security with other 
pieces of business so we do not keep spinning our wheels.
  If it is November 4, we will be here. If it is November 7, we will be 
here. I have heard there are those on the other side who believe 
somehow they can make this a political issue if we just drag it out and 
blame the Democrats. We are not going to do that. I think the record is 
abundantly clear who is holding this up. We will vote on it. We will 
vote on final passage at some point this fall. I just want to make sure 
my colleagues all understand that.
  This is the sixth week--the sixth week--we have debated this bill, 
and there are probably 70 or 80 amendments pending. So you tell me when 
we will finish; I will tell you whenever that is we are going to be 
here. I yield the floor.

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