[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Pages 26613-26614]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                             BIPARTISANSHIP

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I was of course very disappointed in the 
decision of the U.S. Supreme Court. I sat and listened to that 
argument. I think both lawyers Olson and Boies did an outstanding job. 
I was disappointed in the 5-4 decision. I think it was as a result of 
the Supreme Court's decision that the vote did not go forward in the 
first place.
  Having said that, I am an attorney. I have always believed we are a 
nation of laws and not of men. I said prior to the decision being 
rendered by the Supreme Court I would follow that decision; that I may 
not like it, but I would do whatever I could to make sure it was 
accepted.
  I think during this entire process we as a nation should be very 
proud. I repeat, I didn't like the way the election turned out. We have 
a man, Vice President Gore, who won the national vote, a vote of the 
public, by 250,000 votes over his opponent. If there had ever been a 
count in Florida, he would have won that. But this country is a great 
country. Even though Al Gore won the election, he will not take office. 
This country is amazing. In spite of that, there was not a single 
arrest during any of these very bitter discussions regarding the vote. 
There was not a single injury that I know of. It is something that is 
part of history. I am going to do everything I can to make sure that 
George W. Bush's Presidency is as good as it can be.
  I know he comes from a good family. I served in the Congress during 
the tenure of his father. I liked his dad very much. He wrote me a 
number of personal letters on things that I did that he thought were 
good. I have those letters and I treasure those letters. I was the 
first Democrat to speak openly for our incursions into Iraq. I think 
President Bush did the right thing. In short, I think George W. Bush 
has the ability to be a good President. I am going to do everything I 
can, as I said, to support President-elect Bush.
  I think we have to recognize that what took place last night was 
magnificent. Vice President Gore's speech was magnanimous, gracious. As 
we indicated, he got more popular votes than even Ronald Reagan. Then 
that was followed by a speech by President-elect Bush which was 
outstanding. I think the tone of his speech was good. I think the 
issues he talked about were issues we have talked about for some time 
here on the Senate floor.
  President-elect Bush is going to get all the advice and counsel he 
needs, I am sure, and he does not need mine. I am confident that today 
he is being briefed and briefed and briefed and told opinions of what 
people think he should do. But, in spite of that, my advice to the 
President-elect is, if he wants to be bipartisan in action rather than 
just words, the first thing he should do is recognize we have a House 
of Representatives which is almost evenly divided. He has to recognize 
that we have a Senate that is evenly divided. We have 50 Democrats; we 
have 50 Republicans. Either by math that is taught at MIT or the so-
called fuzzy math talked about during the campaign, 50 and 50 are 
equal.
  As a result of that, I recommend the President-elect interject 
himself into what is going on here in the legislative branch of the 
Government. I think what he should do is say 50-50 is equal. I think 
the Republicans should go along with the Democrats to have committees 
that are even--that is, the same number of Democrats on the committee 
as Republicans. There should be equal funding. There should be equal 
staffing. I think he should take a look at the committee chairmanship 
structure. I think it would be a significant step if President-elect 
Bush stepped forward and looked at what the future holds.
  The future holds that, for example, if the Budget Committee is 10-
10--one of the first things we are required by law to do is come 
forward with the budget--if the committee is 10-10, anything that comes 
before this Senate will be bipartisan in nature and I think will be 
approved quickly. It would be the same on other committees. I think one 
thing the American people have said is that we should work in a 
bipartisan basis, 50-50 in the Senate, 50-50, approximately, in the 
House.
  We have a President who was elected with fewer votes than the his 
opponent. I just think this is a time that calls for bipartisanship. I 
think we can do that. But I think it would set a very bad tone if the 
Republicans, some of whom are in denial that the Senate is 50-50, would 
prevent the Senate from going forward by saying we are not going to 
give you equality on the committees. If that happens, it is not the 
Democrats who are holding up action in the Senate, it is the 
Republicans--the Republicans who we no longer refer to as the majority 
because they are not the majority. It is the Republicans who will be 
holding up this Congress and this country from moving forward.
  I also think it appropriate that President Bush follow the example we 
have in the Cabinet today with Secretary Cohen. Secretary Cohen is a 
bona fide, card-carrying Republican from the State of Maine who did an 
outstanding job and is doing an outstanding job during his tenure as 
Secretary of Defense. I hope President-elect Bush will also look to 
people of the other party, the Democratic Party, to fill spots in his 
Cabinet. I am confident he will do that.
  Again, I feel so good today about our country. We should all feel 
good about our country. In spite of the closeness of the election, in 
spite of the more than 1 month since the election took place,

[[Page 26614]]

we have two men who stepped forward last night; they stepped forward 
with compassion, stepped forward with confidence--confidence at the 
greatness of this country.
  I have been through statewide recounts, two of them, one of which I 
lost by 524 votes; one of which I won by 428 votes. I know what close 
elections are all about. I know how difficult recounts are. I was very 
proud of both men and their families for what they put up with and how 
they ended the election process last night. It speaks well of them and 
of our country.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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