In a testy exchange, Reid called McConnell’s comments “shallow,” but later asked them to be stricken from the record. The Republican leader suggested that the comments might have violated a rule in the normally collegial upper chamber that requires senators to act in a dignified manner. 

Reid has a reputation for making strong statements, previously calling President Bush a “loser” and saying the U.S. has already “lost” the war in Iraq.

The latest exchange happened amid an 80-4 Senate vote to begin debate on a House-passed bill that has garnered White House support. Later this week, Democrats hope to substitute the bill with a measure approved by the Finance Committee that broadens the House bill by adding billions in tax credits for renewable energy and by providing $500 rebate checks to senior citizens and people who live off federal disability payments.

Reid said no votes will occur on the economic bill on Tuesday -- the biggest day of the election year --­ because Democrats need Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) who plan to return to Washington on Wednesday.

Republicans were upset with Senate Democrats Monday because of what they said were last-minute changes to the much-anticipated economic stimulus package.  Specifically, Republicans complained that Democrats had added $1 billion in funding for low-income heating assistance to the Finance measure after it was approved in committee last week.

McConnell criticized the Senate for dragging its feet both on the stimulus bill and on a pending electronic surveillance bill, and for the late change. “We just got it a few moments ago," McConnell said of the Finance bill with the additional funding for low-income hearing assistance.

“It is not unreasonable for the minority to read the proposal. And to suggest from that that it’s a certainty we’ll not have anything voted on tomorrow, I would suggest to my good friend, the majority leader, is nonsense. We will insist on reading it,” he said.

Reid fired back, calling McConnell’s comments “shallow” because, he said, the bill has been available since last week and Republicans were aware that the low-income program would be added. Reid said the bill that was approved by the Finance Committee is a public record.

“You can read it on the Internet what is in the stimulus bill,” Reid said. “It came out days ago, days ago. Not Monday ­ not today, but days ago.”

Reid added: “So to talk about we don’t have a chance to read this bill, ­ Oh, Mr. President, this is really something.”

Before relinquishing control of the floor, Reid apologized for his comment.

“People around her in the Senate, the country know me by now,” Reid said. “And I pretty much call things the way that I see them, and sometimes I need to step back a little . . . and look at how I say them.

“And I want to, if necessary, to my friend -- my friend from Kentucky, the word ‘shallow’ was improper, improperly descriptive,” Reid said. “And so I'll have that stricken from the record. And insert therein – let’s see, let’s see. What can I do here? It’s something that I didn’t agree with, okay.”