[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 4 (Tuesday, January 21, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S126-S127]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    PRESIDENT CLINTON'S INAUGURATION

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, before I begin talking about the bills, 
let me make an initial comment about yesterday. We all witnessed a 
stirring ceremony as President Clinton and Vice President Gore were 
sworn in to a second term in office. President Clinton is the first 
Democratic President to earn a second term since Franklin Roosevelt. 
This is truly a historic event.
  Anyone who witnessed the inaugural ceremony knows that, despite the 
cold weather, this quadrennial rite of American democracy was warmed by 
great pageantry, bipartisan good will, and a strong sense of national 
purpose and unity.
  Yesterday's inaugural ceremony lasted a few minutes, but many weeks 
of hard work preceded the event. Everything from construction of the 
inaugural platform to ticket dispersal, security, and the traditional 
lunch in Statuary Hall, plus thousands of other tasks, required a great 
deal of preparation and attention to detail.
  On behalf of Senate Democrats, I join with Senator Lott and express 
my gratitude to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural 
Ceremonies; in particular, the distinguished Senator from Virginia, Mr. 
Warner, and the distinguished Senator from Kentucky, Mr. Ford, for all 
of their efforts toward making this such a successful inaugural event. 
Senators Ford and Warner and the other members of the committee put in 
long hours under very tight deadlines. Time that they might have 
preferred to spend with family or in their home States attending to 
constituent matters was sacrificed for the benefit of all Americans who 
enjoyed this inauguration.
  Senator Warner was chairman of the Joint Inaugural Committee this 
year. He brought to this duty the same diligence, resolve, and 
reverence for the congressional rules and traditions that he brings to 
his job as chairman of the Senate Rules Committee. This was his first 
inaugural ceremony as chairman, and he should be commended for a job 
well done.
  This is the fifth time Senator Ford has served as chairman or vice 
chairman of the Inaugural Committee. Like everything he does as Senate 
Democratic whip, ranking member of the Rules Committee, and senior 
Senator from Kentucky, Senator Ford once again approached the 
responsibility

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with great humor and tenacity and a deep respect for our best American 
tradition. Senator Ford is as dependable and dedicated a public servant 
as anyone who has ever served in this great institution, and all 
Americans owe a debt of gratitude to the citizens of Kentucky, who have 
asked him to serve in the U.S. Senate.
  I also express my thanks to the other members of the committee for 
their hard work. A special thanks goes to the leader, as well as to 
others in the House who made this whole event the success that it was 
yesterday. Many officers and employees of the House and Senate, along 
with representatives from the executive branch, assisted these 
congressional leaders in this enormous but ultimately successful task.
  All who contributed to this historic event should be proud of their 
efforts and know that their country on this day after the inaugural is 
very grateful.

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