[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 178 (Thursday, December 20, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14082-S14083]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RECOGNITION OF THE SENATE STAFF

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, the staff is working on a couple more items. 
While they are doing that, I would like to express to the Presiding 
Officer my best wishes for a happy holiday.
  I would also like to, at this late hour, acknowledge the work done by 
the

[[Page S14083]]

staff of the Senate. I spend days with these people. The work of the 
Senate is done by the people who get no recognition but do so much of 
the work. Each of them are experts at what they do. People around here 
will be working until the wee hours of the morning. You and I may be 
here late--the last two to leave the Senate--but they will arrive at 
their homes sometime tomorrow morning. The last time we did the Defense 
bill, I talked to one member of the staff who went home at 5 a.m. that 
morning.
  I want each of them to know that even though they do not get the 
recognition that we get, their jobs are just as important as ours. We 
in effect couldn't do without them. Every day they do things that help 
make us look as if we know what we are doing. Hopefully, we do most of 
the time, but if we don't, they take care of things, point us in the 
right direction.
  I am personally indebted to the help that each of these fine public 
servants give to the people of the State of Nevada, the people of West 
Virginia, and this country.
  I want the record spread with my good wishes for a happy holiday. In 
saying this, I speak for every Senator, Democrats and Republicans, we 
probably, as busy as we are, don't recognize how busy they are and in 
the process don't express our appreciation nearly as much as we should.

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