[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 4106-4107]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        LEGISLATIVE COOPERATION

  Mr. REID. Madam President, no one can count the number of times this 
Chamber has heard calls for compromise. That call has come from 
Senators of good faith, from Senators on both sides. Indeed, it is the 
very essence of the legislative branch, which was purposefully designed 
to run on consensus by our Founding Fathers.
  As Senators we search for the right arguments, and the right 
incentives that will help us strike the right balance--a balance that 
will let the Senate and the country move forward. But there has been no 
stronger argument for bipartisanship than the series of budget votes 
over the past few days.
  Last week, the Senate voted on two proposals--one written by 
Republicans and one written by Democrats. Some Republicans voted 
against the Republican bill and some Democrats voted against the 
Democratic bill. In the end, neither passed.
  Yesterday, the House voted on another Republican proposal. Again, 
some Republicans voted against their own party's plan--a lot of them 
did--and some Democrats voted for the other party's plan. This time, it 
passed--but only because it had bipartisan support. We don't know what 
will happen when that same question comes before the Senate this week, 
but we know we won't see a strictly party-line vote.
  The lesson is obvious: Neither party can pass a bill without the 
other party, and neither Chamber can send that bill to the President 
without the other Chamber. Therefore, if you're looking for a case 
study on why cooperation is necessary, that is as clear as it comes.
  It is just as obvious that we cannot meet in the middle if one side 
refuses to give any ground. Both parties and both Houses must be 
willing to work together. We cannot negotiate without a partner on the 
other side of the table. We will not find a solution in stubbornness.
  I will repeat the request I have made since the beginning of the 
budget debate. It is a request for reasonableness. It is the same call 
for compromise and consensus that has always kept this diverse Nation 
moving forward. It is the same appeal made by one of the great Senators 
in the history of this country--a Senator whose seat the Republican 
leader now holds. Kentucky's Henry Clay said:

       All legislation is founded upon the principle of mutual 
     concession.

  If the Senate and House cannot pass a long-term budget that keeps the 
country open for business, another reality will be made very plain for 
the American people to see. It will be crystal clear which party was 
willing to work toward a common goal and which party lacked the courage 
to compromise.

[[Page 4107]]



                          ____________________