[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 11 (Tuesday, February 3, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S384]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              COMMENDING THE MAJORITY AND MINORITY LEADERS

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I will take a moment.
  I commend both the Republican and Democratic leaders for opening the 
Senate today. I was recollecting, as I came in, we had another majority 
leader from Tennessee, Howard Baker--the Democrat leader was Robert 
Byrd; both distinguished friends and colleagues--and there had been an 
explosive device put outside the Capitol one evening, something that 
could not be done today because there are changes in our security. But 
the majority leader recessed that evening--it was going to be a late-
night session. We adjourned a little earlier than we anticipated 
because we had worked out something and needed time for drafting and 
worked out a logjam we had, and there was an explosive device put out--
and the distinguished Presiding Officer remembers this time very well 
because he was also serving here, as I was, at the time--blowing out 
both the Republican and Democratic cloakrooms. There would have been 
great casualties had we been there. The next morning, as I recall, 
nearly 90 Senators were sitting in their seats. We came back in 
basically to say: Nothing is going to close us down.
  So I commend my dear friend from Tennessee and my dear friend from 
South Dakota for opening up this session. I think this is a symbol of 
democracy throughout the whole world. Certainly in our country, the 
most obvious symbol of democracy is this Capitol Building. Every time 
we stay open, as we have after 9/11 and everything else, it 
demonstrates the leadership of our two leaders but also of the devotion 
to democracy we see in this Chamber.
  That is all I am going to say. That is why I am here this morning. I 
wanted to compliment both of the leaders for opening up this session.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader.

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