[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 76 (Friday, June 12, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S6290]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        SINA NAZEMI, SENATE PAGE

  Mr. GORTON. This is the last day that the Spring page class will be 
with us. And I am going to take a moment to recognize and thank this 
fine group of young people for their invaluable assistance in the 
Senate. Their hard work keeps the Senate running smoothly on a day-to-
day basis. All of our pages are accomplished students and involved in 
their schools and communities. However, I would like to specifically 
commend the page from my home State of Washington, Sina Nazemi, for his 
outstanding efforts. Even among this class of exceptional young people 
Sina has set himself apart.
  Over the last 6 months I have had the opportunity to get to know Sina 
and while I recognized that he was a fine student and a personable 
young man, I have also learned that Sina is rather secretive. After six 
months of working in the Senate, today I learned that his peers chose 
Sina to serve as President of the page class. Today, the faculty and 
principal at the page school also recognized Sina with the Leadership 
Award and the Good Citizen Award. What initially prompted my 
recognition of Sina was his winning essay in the 1998 Law Day Essay 
Competition sponsored by the District of Columbia Courts and The Bar 
Association of the District of Columbia, which I only learned of last 
week.
  Sina's essay is a well written piece on the importance of the first 
amendment that draws heavily on his first hand experience as an 
immigrant from Iran. He writes that the first amendment creates ``a 
battlefield of ideas which allows the best ideas to emerge''. I hope he 
was at least in part inspired by the ``battlefield of ideas'' that is 
evident each day on the Senate floor.
  In addition to serving as class president, Sina kept pace with the 
rigorous academics at the Page School and the work schedule of the 
Senate. We keep these kids working so hard that Sina didn't even have 
the whole week of Easter recess off. I held an education forum in the 
state that week, and Sina served admirably as the moderator and 
spokesperson for the student group. All of this is done with diligence 
and enthusiasm. Sina has a great deal to be proud of yet, the modesty 
he shows reflect maturity beyond his years. These attributes will 
undoubtedly serve him well in his future. Sina, you have my best wishes 
and thanks for your service to the Senate.
  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. DASCHLE. 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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