[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 15, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S308]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE ORGANIZING RESOLUTION

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I thank my colleague, Senator Reid, and I 
thank all of our leaders for working together. It appears now that we 
are on the brink of success for an organizing resolution. I must say, 
however, some of the rhetoric I heard yesterday I think was 
unfortunate. Talk about a coup in the Senate or in the United States--
that is reckless talk. That is inappropriate talk. What has occurred 
here is a negotiation on the delicate subject of the organization of 
the Senate. At a previous time in just recent years, it took 6 weeks to 
have that negotiation occur. Nobody asserted that there was a coup 
occurring in this country. That is reckless talk. It is irresponsible 
talk. It may be good for headlines, it may be good for getting on 
television, but it does not serve this body well and it does not serve 
our country well. I hope colleagues will be more thoughtful in their 
use of language in the future.

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