[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6496]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           TRADE LEGISLATION

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, we have heard the expressions ``red 
herring'' and ``loss leader,'' all these terms that try to focus 
attention someplace where it shouldn't be focused. That is basically 
what the Republican leader has done this morning.
  He, of course, misconstrued what I said on the floor yesterday. I 
said that I am not here to debate the intricacies of this trade bill. 
Some can do that better than I. I have no qualms about saying that 
about myself. It is a very specialized area. But I do understand that 
the debate was not taking place because we were not on the bill. I said 
that I understand the procedure around here--and I do.
  The procedure is pretty simple. It is a fact that virtually all 
legislation that passes the Senate needs major bipartisan support. This 
year is an example. Nearly every bill passed by the Senate has enjoyed 
the support of over 90 percent of Senate Democrats. It is just a 
reality that the 114th Congress will take Democratic votes to get 
things done.
  Many Democrats don't support fast-track. I don't. The vast majority 
of Democrats don't. But without following all of the loss leaders, the 
red herrings the Republican leader threw out, the Finance Committee 
reported out four bills, and it is only logical we consider all four of 
them.
  I have said, and I say it again, it is only logical we take the 
Republican leader's words for what they are. He said: Let's get on the 
bill, and then we will start the amendment process.
  Well, we can't start the amendment process very well if we are not 
having an opportunity to amend and change the bills that aren't there. 
They would just be thrown to the winds. That is, Customs is very 
important and enforcement and, of course, the situation dealing with 
African trade.
  We put a reasonable alternative on the table for Senate Republicans 
to accept. All the Republican leader needs to do is say yes, and we can 
open debate on these trade bills.

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