[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 79 (Friday, June 8, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S6004]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        COMMENDING SENATE PAGES

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, on behalf of the Senate, I rise to bid 
farewell to our current class of Senate pages, who have served the 
Senate with distinction over the last five months. On behalf of the 
entire Senate, I would like to thank them for their fine work and 
tireless efforts to help the Senate run smoothly.
  This class of pages has served during an historic time in the United 
States Senate. When they arrived, we were still in the midst of a close 
presidential election, one that held the fate of the Senate in balance. 
When the election was decided, they served in an unprecedented evenly 
divided Senate. And as they leave, they have been witness to a change 
in who is the majority. They've even served during a rare weekend 
session. And through all of these challenges, they have maintained 
excellent academic records.
  Most people do not know of the rigorous nature of a Senate page's 
life. On a typical day, the pages rise early and are in school by 6:00 
a.m. After several hours of classes, they come to the Capitol to 
prepare the Senate Chamber for the day's session by providing each 
Senator with a copy of the Senate Legislative and Executive Calendars, 
the legislation under consideration, and the Congressional Record, as 
well as any other document a Senator might request.
  During the remainder of the day, they run numerous errands and 
perform a myriad of tasks, including providing Senators with the 
appropriate bills and resolution under consideration, obtaining 
documents one of us may want to refer to during a debate, running 
errands between the Capitol and the Senate Office Buildings, and 
helping out at our weekly caucus lunches.
  The pages stay here as long as we're here, no matter how late. Once 
the Senate has concluded business for the day, the pages return to 
their dorm to prepare for the next day's classes, and, we hope, to get 
some much-needed sleep. Despite the hectic schedule, they perform their 
duties cheerfully and efficiently.
  The presence of the pages on the Senate floor serves as a constant 
reminder to all of us here that the legislative work we perform is not 
just for our generation, but for the children and young people of our 
Nation as well.
  It is my hope that we have given the pages some insight into the need 
for individuals to become involved in community and civic activities. 
The future of our nation strongly depends on the generation who will 
follow up in this august body. Perhaps a number of the current group of 
pages will one day return here to serve as members of the United States 
Senate.
  These young men and women have been an integral part of our daily 
life here in the Senate and they have faced quite a few challenges in 
this historic year.
  Again, we wish the pages a fond farewell. I hope that they will take 
their experiences here and return to their hometowns as better citizens 
with a greater appreciation for public service. Speaking on behalf of 
the Senate, we wish them well in whatever endeavors they choose.
  I ask unanimous consent that a list of the current class of pages be 
printed in the Record.
  The list follows:

                              Senate Pages

       Libby Benton, Michigan; Steve Hoffman, Vermont; Alexis 
     Gassenhuber, Wisconsin; Kelsey Walter, South Dakota; Michael 
     Henderson, South Dakota; Kathryn Bangs, South Dakota; Tristan 
     Butterfield, Montana; Lyndsey Williams, Illinois; Joshua 
     Baca, New Mexico; Andrew Smith, Texas.

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