[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 31, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S176]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNITION OF THE REPUBLICAN LEADER

  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Republican leader is 
recognized.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, let me also add some words about Alan 
Frumin. For those who are not aware of what the Parliamentarian does 
around here, he is sort of like an umpire in a ball game calling balls 
and strikes. It should not surprise anyone to hear that we have not 
always agreed on those calls. But it is not an easy job to be an umpire 
for 100 Senators. It is not easy to keep up with 200 years of 
precedents. And to Alan's credit, he never hesitates to admit when he 
thought he got something wrong.
  Alan has a deep love for the Senate and the people who make it work. 
From the elevator operators and the cooks to the most senior Senators, 
he keeps up relationships with all of them. He cares a lot about this 
institution, and he has the service to show for it.
  As the majority leader indicated, Alan has been here since 1974--
longer than all but just a handful of us. So he has really seen it all. 
We will miss his devotion and his intellect. We are glad he has been 
able to spend more time with his wife Jill and his daughter Allie. I 
know they love to travel. Hopefully they will be able to do more of 
that.
  Thank you, Alan, for four decades of service to this institution we 
all love and admire, and good luck in everything that lies ahead.

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