WASHINGTON - MAY 17 -“I share the desire of my colleagues to pass a supplemental spending bill as soon as possible but when it comes to such significant legislation, we need full debate and votes, not backroom agreements. Ramming a symbolic bill through the Senate so that the actual bill can be written by a handful of people behind closed doors is unacceptable. The first supplemental passed by Congress was a step forward, but I hope that whatever emerges from the upcoming conference will not be a step back.

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