[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 16 (Thursday, February 26, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S1046]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

  Mr. McCONNELL. I want to thank the distinguished majority leader for 
his superb leadership and for helping us pick our way through the mine 
field of campaign finance one more time. He has truly been outstanding. 
I just wanted to tell him how much I and the rest of the 48 of his 
party who believe deeply in the first amendment appreciate this, and 
for his leadership on this subject.
  Mr. LOTT. Thank you very much.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I also want to thank Alison McSlarrow from the 
majority staff who has been outstanding. We were sitting over here 
talking about the stress factor on this issue as it arises. It seems 
like a bad penny that keeps coming back. We have had a chance to get to 
know each other well and deal with each other a lot on this issue. 
Alison, I wanted to tell you what a wonderful job you did.
  Mr. CRAIG. Will the Senator yield?
  Mr. McCONNELL. Yes, I will yield.
  Mr. CRAIG. I thank the Senator for yielding.
  I want to speak only briefly, Mr. President.
  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, a few weeks ago I had the privilege of 
being with Senator McConnell when he received a ``Legislator of the 
Year'' award from a national organization that recognized how critical 
his leadership on campaign finance reform is. This is an organization 
that has a large broad-based membership of individual God-fearing, 
constitutional Americans who recognized, as most of us do, that what we 
have here and what was debated over the last good number of days was a 
way of reshaping the Constitution and our basic rights as citizens in 
this country. You stood up and said: No, it isn't going to happen. It 
will not happen. We are going to agree with the courts and we are going 
to keep our citizens free to express, at will, their political 
thoughts.
  So let me thank you for the kind of leadership you brought. Clearly, 
while it may go unrecognized by many, this was a phenomenally 
significant vote for the country and for our citizens. And I thank you 
for that.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I thank my good friend from Idaho for his overly kind 
observation about my work on this issue. I thank you so very much.
  I also want to thank my longtime ally in defense of the first 
amendment. We have worked together for 10 years now, Tam Somerville and 
I. She is from the staff, who is also in the stress reduction program, 
along with Alison McSlarrow and myself, as this matter pops up from 
time to time. Thank you again for your outstanding service to the 
country in helping us protect our ability to participate in the 
political process. And Lani Gerst, of my staff, who assisted Tam, has 
done yeoman's service. I thank her as well.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. D'AMATO addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New York.
  (The remarks of Mr. D'Amato and Mr. Graham pertaining to the 
introduction of S. 1682 are located in today's Record under 
``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Florida is recognized.


                         Privilege of the Floor

  Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent Lory Zastrow and 
Jeff Pegler of my staff be accorded floor privileges for the duration 
of my comments.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Several Senators addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Ohio is recognized.
  Mr. GLENN. I thank the Chair.

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