[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Pages 27163-27164]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



            CONGRATULATING SENATOR STEVENS AND SENATOR BYRD

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, let me take this occasion to thank the 
distinguished chairman of the Appropriations Committee and, in his 
absence, Senator Byrd for his cooperation with Senator Stevens. They 
work together as a team every day. They do an incredible job. They have 
one of the toughest jobs in the Congress.
  I have been working in budget processes now directly for I guess 
about 20 years. When I was in the House as the whip, I sometimes 
reluctantly became a participant in those budget renegotiations. They 
were never easy. But I don't think I have ever seen more fire, 
lightning, and thunder than we had on this bill, when you compare it to 
bills of the past that were relatively small in size and various parts.
  It was very tough. Everything was fought over so aggressively. Things 
didn't get in, such as Amtrak, and things got in, such as Medicare 
adjustments. But we found a way to make it happen. We found it very 
hard to let go. But the Senator from Alaska hung in there. I know he 
was working at 2 o'clock this morning, and I know he was back at the 
office today at 6:30. I talked to him sometime between 6:30 and 8 
o'clock this morning. The amazing thing was he was sweet and charming 
and pleasant.
  Is this the deed? Is this what we have here?
  Mr. MOYNIHAN. I dare not ask a World War II pilot veteran to lift 
this or the rules on ergonomics might be contradicted.
  But I congratulate you, sir.
  Mr. LOTT. It probably violates the rules of ergonomics, I would like 
to say, if that is the package.
  Finally, all of us learned in the last 2 days more than we ever 
wanted to know about the Steller sea lion. What is it, and what are 
they? Whatever they are, I am sure they are beautiful, and I know they 
appreciate the effort of the Senator from Alaska. I know about 10,000 
Alaskans appreciate the fact that their jobs will not be wiped out 
almost instantly.
  The administration was very tough, but they were protecting the 
Endangered Species Act. I don't know quite how Senator Stevens found 
common ground. But he did. Thank goodness for all of the persistence. 
He is affectionately known as ``The Tasmanian Devil.'' But today he did 
this job without his Tasmanian necktie.
  While we get very testy with each other sometimes, we still really 
appreciate the work that is done.
  Senator Stevens, congratulations, and I look forward to someday being 
able to know all that is in the bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Abraham). The Democratic leader.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, this will be the last time, because I 
know others want to speak.
  I, too, want to congratulate the chairman and ranking member. This 
has been a really difficult experience. He knows it. No one knows it 
better than he because he had to experience it as late as 3:30 last 
night and as early as 6:30 this morning. We know because of a very 
intense debate we had within our caucus. It would not have happened 
without his leadership. It would not have happened without his 
persistence and the work of his staff--and the staff whom both the 
majority leader and I have been fortunate to have serve with us as we 
have attempted to put this package together.
  I congratulate him. I thank him. I also congratulate the people of 
Alaska for the kind of representation they sent to Washington in the 
person of Ted Stevens.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. LOTT. I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alaska.
  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I know others are going to take the 
floor.
  While the two leaders are here, I thank each of them for their 
comments. Nothing is done in the Senate without the concurrence of the 
leadership. I know full well the help they have given us in the past 
days and weeks which led to the final solution. I will be speaking 
about that later.
  I thank the Senator from Mississippi and also my friend, the Senator 
from

[[Page 27164]]

South Dakota, for their help and for the sincere comments they made 
today. They are very welcome, as far as I am concerned, and I am 
humbled by them. I thank them very much.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Florida.
  Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I appreciate the positive remarks that 
have just been made about our leadership and those who have supported 
them throughout these difficult 2 years, and look forward at an 
appropriate time to hearing the comments of the chairman of the 
Appropriations Committee on this legislation.

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