[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 183 (Tuesday, December 8, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S12648]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NEW DEMOCRATIC SENATORS

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, we have scheduled this morning, as soon as 
the leader time is used, a group of Democratic Senators. These are all 
new Senators. I hope those people who are watching understand the 
quality of the people who are now going to make a presentation before 
this body. The States that will be represented here today will be 
Oregon, Delaware, New Hampshire, Colorado--we have two Colorado 
Senators who will speak--the new Senator from Massachusetts, New 
Mexico, Virginia, Illinois, Alaska, and the opening will be by Senator 
Merkley and the closing will be by Senator Merkley. Such quality 
individuals we are so fortunate to have in the Senate. I am grateful 
for the time they have taken to speak on this issue. Much of what they 
have done has set the tone for this debate on our side of the aisle. It 
has been constructive, it has been positive, and it has been very 
lucid. They were all successful individuals before they came to the 
Senate. Certainly, that is acknowledged every time we hear one of them 
say a word here on the Senate floor.
  Would the Chair announce the matter before the Senate.

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