Robert Byrd resents having to put his cross-burning on hold to come to the Capitol on the Sabbath. Either that, or he wants an ox to do something in a pit. It's tough to tell.

Senator Robert C. Byrd, Democrat of West Virginia, had another complaint, faulting Senate leaders for forcing lawmakers to come to the Capitol on Sunday for the vote to cut off debate. Quoting scripture, Mr. Byrd recounted injunctions against toiling on the Sabbath and declared it was wrong for him and his colleagues to have to work, particularly to cast "a mere procedural vote."

"If the ox or the ass were in the pit, as the Bible says, then pull him out if it is on the Sabbath," Mr. Byrd said. "But the ox is not in the ditch."