Republican Support

Floor Speech

Mr. MCCONNELL. If I may, I missed the first part of what my friend was saying, but I think I understand the gist of it because we had an opportunity to talk a couple of times today.

The dilemma we currently have on the proposal the majority leader is referring to is that I believe it is the case that not all members of the Finance Committee are yet fully aware of what the package may look like. We also do not have an entire conference that understands it yet. If we are talking about a roughly $80 billion package, no matter how it may be labeled--whether it is another stimulus, whether it is a jobs bill, whether it is a combination of both--I would say to my friend that my members need to be able to feel as if they understand what they are being called upon to support. So the sooner we could get the parameters of the final package, the better.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader.

Mr. REID. I hope to be able to get something to the Republican leader very soon. I was told an hour ago that the document is completed. I hope that is the case.

I do say to everyone in the Senate at this time that we want to work through this in an orderly way. I want to make sure both the Republican conference and the Democratic conference have a chance to see the bill. That is fair and that is what we need to do. But I do say to everyone, in addition to that, if, in fact, there is a procedural deadlock we find ourselves in Thursday because of filing cloture on this package--I have explained to everyone that I have no intention of trying to jam anybody on this. It is a jobs bill. We have to let the American people know we are really trying hard to get something done that will create jobs immediately. So I will do my very best to make sure everybody has an opportunity to see everything on this proposed legislation.

If we wind up Thursday on this legislation, I will continue being as cooperative as I can be to make sure people who want to change this in some way legislatively will be able to do that. I may, as I have already indicated to everybody, have to stop amendments in order to get to where we are on Thursday. But I will be happy to open up the vehicle and have people offer amendments. I have no concern at this stage about, frankly, whether the amendments are germane or relevant, just if people want to offer amendments on some subject and to have the ability on both sides to do that, we should be able to do that.

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