[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 91 (Thursday, June 24, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S7551]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       FIRST PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I observe that for the first time, I 
presume, in history we have just opened the session of the Senate with 
the Pledge of Allegiance led by our most esteemed President pro 
tempore.
  I yield for some brief comments on that to the Senator from New 
Hampshire.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The distinguished Senator from New 
Hampshire is recognized.
  Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. I thank the majority leader for his 
courtesy.
  This is a historic day. Ironically, today, the House of 
Representatives is scheduled to pass a constitutional amendment 
protecting our flag from desecration and on this same day we are, for 
the first time in the history of the Senate, as far as I know, saluting 
the flag as we begin its proceedings.
  I thank both leaders, Senator Lott and Senator Daschle, for their 
support in bringing this resolution to the floor quickly, and also to 
thank Senators McConnell, Helms, Dorgan, Mikulski, Warner, Brownback, 
Feinstein, Robb, Conrad, Thurmond, Murkowski, and Senator Gordon Smith 
for their cosponsorship and to thank all of my colleagues as we had a 
100-to-0 agreement to do this.
  I am proud to be the sponsor of this historic resolution. I stand 
here at a very historic desk, the desk of Daniel Webster, who was here 
a few years before me.
  This is history being made. I want to give credit to the person who 
helped make this history happen. Oftentimes, we get letters and phone 
calls from constituents, sometimes with good ideas, sometimes they are 
not so good. But in this particular case a young woman, who is in the 
gallery today, by the name of Rebecca Stewart, of Enfield, NH, made a 
simple phone call to my office. She said: Why don't we salute the flag 
before the proceedings begin in the Senate?
  I said: That's a good idea. Why didn't I think of that? But I had 
not.
  Thanks to Rebecca, who gave us the idea--and I looked into it with 
the Rules Committee and everything moved quickly, thanks to both 
leaders--here we are. Today, Rebecca brought with her the flag that was 
draped over the coffin of her husband's grandfather, who was a World 
War II vet.
  I think it is very fitting this morning that a young woman from New 
Hampshire, which has the Nation's first primary, was first to see that 
the flag of the United States will from now on be saluted prior to the 
proceedings in the Senate.
  I say thank you to Rebecca and to my colleagues for their courtesies 
in making a good idea come to pass.
  I thank the Chair, and I thank my colleague for yielding.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I wish to express our appreciation to the 
Senator from New Hampshire, Mr. Smith, for his effort. The fact is that 
the Rules Committee moved swiftly on the resolution. I think I should 
note for the record that the House of Representatives started this 
practice some years ago, and it was instigated by my former colleague 
in the House, Sonny Montgomery. They have been doing it for a number of 
years, and I think it is most appropriate that we begin to do the same 
thing in the Senate.

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