[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Pages 27162-27163]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



       COMMENDING THE EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP OF THE MAJORITY LEADER

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I have a resolution at the desk and ask 
for its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 391) to commend the exemplary 
     leadership of the Majority Leader.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, this resolution is offered in the most 
heartfelt and sincere way. These last 2 years have been very difficult. 
There have been times when it has tested all of us. But no one has been 
more tested than the majority leader. No one has been called upon to 
lead in more arduous circumstances, on more occasions, than the 
majority leader. And as he has just noted, there have been times when 
we have had our differences. But I have always admired him for his 
remarkable ability to put aside those differences, to come to my 
office, to invite me to his, to talk in the most affable and personal 
way when the day is done. I admire that and many other of his 
remarkable talents. We are fortunate to have his leadership. We are 
fortunate to have his service to this country. And I am fortunate to 
have his friendship.
  So I congratulate him on his successful tenure as majority leader. 
And as he noted, our times in the future will become even more arduous, 
even more tested. I look forward to taking on those challenges with the 
same degree of enthusiasm, the same degree of willingness, to work in a 
partnership that I hope we can continually demonstrate. So I thank him. 
I wish him well and look forward to our service together in the next 2 
years.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, the American public, the people from South 
Dakota, the people from Mississippi, do not know how hard these two men 
work for their States and their country. They probably have some idea 
because they are both so popular in their respective States, but from 
someone who sits and watches these two men every day we are in 
session--and many of the days we are not in session--I am in awe as to 
the work they do and the difficult situations they get us out of.
  If someone had said this morning at 10 o'clock that we would be in 
the position we are in today--being able to go home for Christmas--I 
would have laughed at them. I thought it was impossible for us to do 
that. But these two men, working together, were able to put together a 
package of about $500 billion involving the most important things this 
country deals with on a daily basis. They did this. They did it alone. 
There were others on the outside helping a little bit, but this is just 
an example.
  But I have been able, from my perspective here for 2 years, to watch 
them, and I am tremendously impressed. I want this Record spread with 
the fact that these resolutions do not in any way connote the really 
good work they do. On paper it says they did a good job, but it takes 
someone who works with these two gentlemen on a daily basis to see the 
sacrifices they make for their States and for the country.
  Their families should be so proud of what they do. The people of 
their States should be so proud of what they do. And I, speaking on 
behalf of Americans, after this bitter election, say here are examples 
of everything that is good about the American political system--
Senators Daschle and Lott.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate on the resolution?
  Without objection, the resolution is agreed to.
  The resolution (S. Res. 391) was agreed to, as follows:

                              S. Res. 391

       Resolved, That the thanks of the Senate are hereby tendered 
     to the distinguished Majority Leader, the Senator from 
     Mississippi, the Honorable Trent Lott, for his exemplary 
     leadership and the cooperative and dedicated manner in which 
     he has performed his leadership responsibilities in the 
     conduct of Senate business during the second session of the 
     106th Congress.

  Mr. LOTT. I appreciate very much the kind remarks of Senator Daschle 
and also our good friend, Senator Reid of Nevada. He has been very 
generous, and we appreciate it. He makes our jobs easier. Sometimes 
when we are out there having meetings or taking

[[Page 27163]]

incoming shots from various places, in a quiet, humble, self-effacing, 
diligent way, Harry Reid is out there finding a solution. I sincerely 
appreciate the work he has given us and the entire institution over the 
last year. I enjoy working with him very much.
  I am very proud, too, while we have big States, very important 
States, the little States of Nevada, Mississippi, and South Dakota are 
hanging in there. We are glad to be able to fill these positions of 
responsibility.
  So I thank them both very sincerely.

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