Speech #990264330

One of them was made by the chairman of the committee that he was negotiating in good faith with the gentleman from California and others. that I was negotiating in good faith with the Senator from Wyoming and others. to try to revitalize this bill. and that this motion. while those negotiations were going on. was pulled in a surprise stunt by the gentleman from Mississippi. the gentleman from California and the minority. The second point I would make is this. Remember what the gentleman from California said in the well. which I can confirm. that the good Senator from Wyoming. whose desire for an immigration bill and whose bipartisanship is above reproach. called the ranking member of the committee and asked him to vote for the rule last Friday. which he did. He called the gentleman from California and asked him to vote for that rule last Friday. but he did not. The Senator from Wyoming called many Members on the minority of the Judiciary Committee and urged them to vote for the rule because he believes the problems they had with the Schumer amendment could have been fixed in conference. and he urged them not to vote down the rule and risk killing the bill. Ladies and gentlemen. if we let this rule be recrafted. we will have 2 days of debate. we will have all the emotions that flare. and we will. as sure as I am standing here. have no bill. Let us not waste our time on these kinds of exercises. Let us rather continue our negotiations and try in good bipartisan faith to pass an immigration bill.