[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 141 (Thursday, October 3, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12370-S12371]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     COMMENDING THE MAJORITY LEADER

  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, let me add a few brief words of comment 
in support of the resolutions that were adopted earlier. As we wrap up 
this session of the 104th Congress, I am constrained to commend, in a 
very sincere way, the work that has been done by my distinguished 
colleague, who I serve with, from my State of Mississippi, Trent Lott.
  As he has taken the reins of majority leader and discharged the 
duties of that important office, I have been very proud of him, and our 
entire State has been proud of him, in the way he has managed these 
challenges, handled this job in good grace, with a good sense of

[[Page S12371]]

humor, with a keen insight into how to get things done in the U.S. 
Congress, and with a great deal of integrity.
  He has reflected credit on the U.S. Senate and on the State of 
Mississippi, and I congratulate him very sincerely. I thank him for the 
honor of serving with him as his colleague from our State.
  Mr. LOTT addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I thank my distinguished senior colleague 
from the State of Mississippi for his comments this afternoon, and I 
thank him also for the relationship we have had together in Congress 
now over the last 24 years. We were in the House together, I believe, 
for 6 years, and then he came to the Senate in 1978. We continued to 
work together across the Capitol, and it was my great honor to join him 
in this body beginning in January 1989.
  It has been a great relationship, one that I treasure very much. We 
not only enjoy working together on behalf of our State, I enjoy his 
company, and we quite often have lunch together. I have sidled in next 
to him in that historic desk he has as the senior Senator from 
Mississippi, and we talk about our families, our wives, our football 
team, our future and our country, and I enjoy it always. We even tell a 
few stories, a few Mississippi jokes along the way to each other, but 
more than anything else, when the going gets rough, when I want real 
serious, steady, reliable advice given to me straight up, I go to my 
Senator from Mississippi who I work with from our delegation, and he 
gives me very good advice.
  He has been a member of the leadership of the Senate now for many 
years. He has done an excellent job as chairman of our Republican 
conference. He is in our leadership meetings, and invariably, again, 
his advice and counsel is very good, and it is worth listening to. I 
found when I listen to it, I do OK, and when I don't, I usually mess up 
some way or the other.
  I thank him for his comments today, but I also thank him for the fine 
relationship we have. We will continue to work together for our State 
and our country, and I look forward to that opportunity.
  I yield the floor, Mr. President, and I suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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