Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2014-Motion to Proceed

Floor Speech

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Mr. REID. Madam President, my friend from Tennessee is a fine man. He has been a good Senator, a good member of a President's cabinet, and he really has tried to be a peacemaker all the time I have known him. But his speech that he just gave could be given by any Democrat about the obstruction, the delay, the diversions that have taken place during the entire time President Obama has been President.

We have never had to file cloture on every motion to proceed as we did on this one, as we have done on everything that comes along.

So we can talk about where we have been, but I think we should talk about where we are. Everyone knows that, because of the Republicans, there has been a threshold of 60 votes.

But I say to my friend from Tennessee: I asked for my consent agreement. He says we are very close. With his skills of negotiating compromises, I am willing to listen to something else if he has a better idea to change the McConnell 60-vote threshold rule. I have some ideas myself, but perhaps they should come from him. I, on behalf of my caucus, am entirely agreeable to listen to any reasonable counteroffer.

We have been trying really hard to get things done, but every step we take is a stalling tactic. My friend talked about ambassadors. I don't know the exact count--I haven't gotten it for a day or two--but the last count I had, 54 foreign ambassadors were held up. The continent of Africa, up to a third of the countries there do not have a U.S. ambassador. That doesn't count the scores of other people who are being held up. Why are they being held up? They are being held up because we are now able to move judges. Ambassadors related to judges is nearly empty.

We have a few district court judges, and we have a circuit court judge. They will report some more out. But in an effort to--use whatever term you want--``We will show you guys. You are going to get your judges, and we are not going to give you any other nominations.'' So we are working through those very slowly.

As much as I care and respect the Senator from Tennessee, he does not need to lecture me about stalling around here. We are not. If they want to beat the record of eight or nine amendments--however many it is--move this bill. They will have lots of amendments. And we can start doing that this afternoon.

So, Madam President, I repeat now for the third time: If my friend from Tennessee has a better idea on moving forward--he says we are so close--I am willing to listen to him.

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