of leaving washington on december 17th, this is too important. we should stay into the next week to get it done. if we have to come back after christmas, we should do that. this is look. most americans are working until the day before christmas, and all of our troops will be out on the battle fields right through christmas and new year s. we in congress should work at least that long to get done what is the nation s business. how much support do you have for that idea of staying, you know, through christmas or coming back after christmas? well, i raised that in the democratic caucus today, and we didn t have a show of hands, but there were applause and two or three people got up after me, said, yes, i will. this is too important, both the defense bill itself, to support our military and the repeal of don t ask don t tell, which people agree in our caucus really is the major civil rights legislation before this 211th congress. we can t let it die because the clock ran out, or we l
well, i raised that in the democratic caucus today, and we didn t have a show of hands, but there were applause and two or three people got up after me, said, yes, i will. this is too important, both the defense bill itself, to support our military and the repeal of don t ask don t tell, which people agree in our caucus really is the major civil rights legislation before this 211th congress. we can t let it die because the clock ran out, or we left before we had time to get it done. have you heard anything from harry reid s office about that idea? senator reid, i know, wants to take up the bill. i ve been talking to him. look. the real we have more than 60 votes to stop a filibuster against the bill. you re sure of that? because lindsey graham is saying he s counted the votes, that there isn t enough support to bring this to a vote and there just isn t going to be, no matter what. i m confident that we will get more than 60 votes.
our military and the repeal of don t ask don t tell, which people agree in our caucus really is the major civil rights legislation before this 211th congress. we can t let it die because the clock ran out, or we left before we had time to get it done. have you heard anything from harry reid s office about that idea? senator reid, i know, wants to take up the bill. i ve been talking to him. look. the real we have more than 60 votes to stop a filibuster against the bill. you re sure of that? because lindsey graham is saying he s counted the votes, that there isn t enough support to bring this to a vote and there just isn t going to be, no matter what. i m confident that we will get more than 60 votes. there s a big if but it s not an insurmountable if. it s two things. one is we do the tax cuts first and now there seems to be an agreement on that. and, two, there would be some process that senator reid puts in effect that allows for a fair
connecticut. we spoke earlier tonight. senator lieberman, senate republicans say there needs to be weeks of debate. are they just trying to run out the clock on don t ask, don t tell? it sure looks like that to me. i don t make that i don t reach that conclusion lightly. but we ve got the time to take up the underlying defense bill, which is very important to our military. it authorizes pay increases and equipment to protect our troops, better housing for their families back home. that bill has been passed in every congress since the 60s. and for opponents of don t ask, don t tell being repealed, to hold up that bill because there s so much against the repeal of don t ask, don t tell, i just think is plain wrong. we ve got the time to do it. that s why i ve been saying that i know everybody has this goal
reform on christmas eve last year. most americans work basically up until christmas eve. this year a number of senators who support ending don t ask don t tell want to extend the session again. among them is independent senator joe lieberman of connecticut. we spoke earlier tonight. senator lieberman, senate republicans say there needs to be a two-week minimum on the bill, even though they re typically passed in a number of days. are they just trying to run out the clock on don t ask, don t tell? it sure looks like that to me. i don t make that i don t reach that conclusion lightly. but we ve got the time to take up the underlying defense bill, which is very important to our military. it authorizes pay increases and equipment to protect our troops, better housing for their families back home. that bill has been passed in every congress since the 60s. and for opponents of don t ask, don t tell being repeopled to hold up that bill because