[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 17875]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                       LEGISLATIVE CONSIDERATIONS

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I want to say, before my friend leaves the 
floor, how much respect I have for the Senator from Oregon and the 
great example he sets for everyone in the bipartisan consideration of 
legislation.
  I do want to say, though, before my friend leaves, that one of the 
pleasures of my service in the Senate is that I have been able to work 
with Senator Daschle. We served in the House together. We have served 
in the Senate together. He is the leader. I am the assistant leader.
  There are very few meetings he attends that I am not there. For 
example, we had a meeting yesterday with the bipartisan leadership of 
both Houses. At that meeting with the President of the United States, 
Senator Daschle was very clear in saying he wanted to get things done 
this year. He gave a list of things he thought we could accomplish.
  We are so close to being able to do something on the Patients' Bill 
of Rights, which the Senator from Oregon has voted, I believe, the 
right way on many occasions.
  Senator Daschle in that meeting said that he wanted to get things 
done. He gave a list of things that should be done. Senator Daschle, in 
private meetings and in public meetings, has said the most important 
thing we can do is complete legislation that is already before the 
Senate, including the 11 appropriation bills that have not been 
completed.
  I don't know what appears in U.S. News and World Report or whatever 
publication my friend from Oregon mentioned. The fact is, Senator 
Daschle has continually said publicly and privately the most important 
thing that we can do is enact legislation for the American people.
  I think the record should be very clear that there is no intent on 
behalf of the minority to prevent anything from going forward. We want 
to move legislation. First of all, let's do the appropriations bills, 
and if we have time left over, do the other items, which I believe we 
will do, as indicated in a meeting with the President yesterday. Let's 
do them.
  I express my appreciation to the Senator from West Virginia for his 
patience.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the time before the 
scheduled votes be extended for whatever time I have used under leader 
time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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