Washington, D.C. - Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) removed S. 2062, the Class Action bill, from Senate consideration following the Senate's rejection of cloture on the bill by a 44-43 vote. Sixty votes are necessary to invoke cloture, which would have limited debate and prevented the consideration of non-germane amendments.

U.S. Senators Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) and Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI) were prepared to offer the text of S. 344, the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2004, as an amendment to S. 2062. The Senators issued the following statement:

"We regret that the Majority Leader denied Senators their right under Senate rules to offer amendments to the Class Action bill. We are encouraged by assurances we have received that the skirmishes over germane and non-germane amendments were not driven by concerns with, or opposition to our amendment. We will continue to identify and pursue opportunities to advance this important legislation in the 108th Congress."