[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 3 (Thursday, January 20, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S95]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              NOMINATIONS

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, first, let me congratulate the new 
chairman of the HELP Committee, the Senator from Wyoming, for his 
leadership. I wish him the same level of success for everything he 
brings to the floor--that it be both bipartisan and moved through so 
quickly. I think our decision to move the Secretary of Education so 
quickly was the right decision. I was happy to join in that vote.
  I wish the chairman the very best in his new assignment on the 
committee.
  There are several nominations that are likely to move through with 
equal dispatch--if not today, within the next few days.
  It has been my honor to meet with the new Secretary of Commerce-
Designate, Carlos Gutierrez, who was formerly the CEO of Kellogg, and 
is now taking on this post. He is new to Government but he brings an 
amazing perspective to the Department of Commerce. I am certain his 
nomination will move through very quickly. I am certain he will do a 
very good job.
  The same thing can be said of the Governor of Nebraska, Mike Johanns, 
who has been tapped by the President to serve as the new Secretary of 
Agriculture. He and I had a very positive conversation and dialog 
yesterday. He is from Iowa originally. He went to law school in 
Nebraska and made it his home. He was elected Governor. Having grown up 
on a dairy farm in Iowa, he understands farming first hand. We had a 
very positive conversation. He succeeds an excellent Secretary, Ann 
Veneman, who now will go on to be the head of UNICEF.
  Mike Johanns was an excellent choice by President Bush and was 
confirmed without any debate or controversy. I say that because many 
people think when it comes to the Senate floor it is nothing but a 
fistfight every single day. That is not a fact. We will disagree, but 
in many instances the President's recommendations are approved without 
controversy and without debate. Every White House prays that every 
recommendation, every nomination, and every bill will have the same 
outcome. That is never the case. We will do our best to work with this 
President. Coming together today, in this session, immediately after 
the inauguration, is an indication of our efforts to do so.

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