[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 36 (Monday, March 2, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S2598]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           AMENDMENT PROCESS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I listened carefully to the remarks of 
my friend the majority leader about the amendment process. I certainly 
commend him for the way in which we have operated this year. As he well 
knows, 41 Republicans signed a letter to him a couple months ago 
indicating this is an issue about which Republican Members, regardless 
of their particular political philosophy--and we do have lots of 
different philosophies represented in those 41 Members--felt very 
strongly about. I commend the majority leader for responding. I think 
it has given the Senate an opportunity to operate again such as it did 
in the past. I think Members are, by and large, on both sides of the 
aisle, comfortable with voting. People send us here to vote. My 41 
Republicans represent half the American population, and they are 
certainly entitled to have their say. I think we are operating in a way 
that is widely accepted and popular on both sides of the aisle.

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