[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Page 26594]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                      THANKING THE MAJORITY LEADER

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, before he leaves the floor, I want to tell 
the majority leader I very much share his view about this threat of 
narcoterrorism, and also to express my appreciation to the majority 
leader for the work he is doing with several of us on this matter of 
secret holds, which are so relevant at the end of a session. We have 
made a lot of progress already with the work done by the majority 
leader and with Senator Daschle. The majority leader knows we are 
trying to work out some of the last kinds of questions. I want the 
majority leader to know I think we have already made a real difference 
in this area.
  I express my support to him and look forward to wrapping up the last 
remaining issues. I think we all know, as we go into the last few days 
of the session, we can have 100 of these secret holds and Senators 
rushing about trying to figure out what is going on. Senator Moynihan, 
in his landmark study on secrecy, has really made the case that secrecy 
is the most expensive kind of regulation we could have.
  Before the majority leader leaves the floor, I want him to know I 
really appreciate all the progress we have made in working with his 
staff, Mr. Wilkie doing yeomen work on this, and I look forward to 
wrapping it up.
  Mr. LOTT. I thank the Senator.

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