Time out: Am I understanding that, after two months of filibustering, you're asking us to get you out of the filibuster, because we need to come forward with an amendment? We've put ours forward. Why don't you withdraw your amendment and we can start where we're at?
To be honest, Ryan, I felt that the conversation was going very, very well until just moments ago. We have been working on this. We have all been working on this. Unfortunately, for months you guys have known that you're not getting the support over this. You've known. The leader on this committee has known. So please don't put that false pretense out there. No one on this committee can say that the opposition members will vote for this amendment. That's why this filibuster has continued now for two months. Let's not be disingenuous about this. The fact is that it is not up to anyone on the opposition. I am saying that where there is important work to be done....
I'm looking at the people I've been negotiating with in the past couple of minutes. The fact is that we all know that there's important work to get done. We need to get there.
Here's the idea: You're asking us to perhaps withdraw this and then maybe come up with something. Do not put this on all our shoulders. You've been speaking on this for two full months. Do not put this on our shoulders to provide you an amendment so that you guys can get out of this filibuster. Withdraw your amendment and let's put forward a proper amendment, or let's do what Daniel had said earlier, but please do not think that for the last two months opposition parties have not tried to negotiate multiple times.
We have not taken the floor for more than probably an hour in the last two months, unless you're talking about the number of times you had a call of repetition. Let's be honest here. If we want to get to something, if you want to withdraw this motion, then show us that you guys really want to negotiate. Don't put it on us.
Show us, Ryan, that you guys actually want to negotiate, then. If you're questioning the fact that this is where we're at, take this motion down, then, seriously, and let's do real business, because we've wasted our time on this motion.