[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 20293-20294]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                   COMPLETING THE WORK OF THE SENATE

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I see my good friend, the deputy majority 
leader, the senior Senator from Nevada, in the Chamber. I first note my 
appreciation for the kind words he has said on several occasions about 
our efforts in the Judiciary Committee. The Senator and I have been 
friends from the day he came to the Senate. I value that friendship 
very much.
  I also thank our leadership for having us in session today. Let me 
take a couple moments to say why.
  This is a trying time for everybody--for our staffs, for the brave 
men and women of the Capitol Police, who protect us, for Dr. Eisold, 
and all those who work with him in the Capitol physician's office--for 
everybody, whether they are doorkeepers, or anybody else, including the 
young pages, both the Democratic and Republican pages who are here. The 
work is being done. It has been a difficult time.
  What would have been more difficult for the Nation would have been if 
we had not been here today. I think it was essential we be here. We 
have actually accomplished a great deal by being here.
  We have held hearings on judges, and voted a number out of committee, 
as well as a number of U.S. attorneys. We have completed action on an 
agreement on the counterterrorism bill. It is something that just a few 
days ago everybody said could not be done. We have done it. We are now 
at the point simply of drafting, which is not the easiest thing in the 
world with all the offices closed down. But the staffs of the various 
committees, including the Judiciary Committee, of course, have been 
working literally around the clock to get the paperwork done, to get 
the actual words on paper.
  So I feel safe in predicting the House and the Senate will vote on a 
package on the counterterrorism bill that, interestingly enough, will 
be improved over what we passed in the Senate and improved over what 
they passed in the other body.
  The sum is greater than the parts. And that shows what happens when 
we work together--both bodies; both parties--to get something done.
  We have actually done the administration a favor by taking time to 
look at it. The piece of legislation originally proposed by the White 
House and Attorney General was deeply flawed. Had we accepted their 
proposal to immediately move forward and pass it, we would have given 
them a flawed bill

[[Page 20294]]

which, in the long run, would have hurt their chances to fight 
terrorism.
  The distinguished Presiding Officer, the Senator from Minnesota, was 
one of those who cautioned and counseled both me and others to go 
slowly, look at what is here, and make sure we do it right.
  The distinguished Senator from Minnesota, as he always does, offered 
wise counsel. The distinguished Senator from Nevada, Mr. Reid, stood in 
this Chamber a number of times and said: We want to get it done right. 
I believe we have.
  But lastly, it is important, as a symbol, that we be in session. I 
feel deeply privileged to be a Member of the Senate. I remember the 
first day I walked in this Senate Chamber as a Senator-elect. I was a 
34-year-old prosecutor from Vermont. I had never been on the floor of 
the Senate. It was a lameduck session after the elections at the time. 
We were going to go into the new session, which is when I would be 
sworn in.
  I came in as a Senator-elect. I thought to myself: What a thrill, 
coming in this Chamber and seeing people, giants of the Senate--in 
fact, two predecessors from the Presiding Officer's home State: Hubert 
Humphrey and Fritz Mondale. And I have thought it a privilege every day 
I have walked in this Chamber, every day I have come to this building.
  I have no idea how long I will be a Senator--none of us do--but I 
know every single day that I am, I will consider it a day that is a 
great privilege.
  And this building, this symbol of democracy, which will be here long 
after all 100 of us are gone--and I hope for hundreds and hundreds more 
it will be here--should be open. It should be open. It should tell not 
just a quarter of a billion Americans that this is the seat of 
democracy but tell billions of people around the world, especially 
those who come from countries that are anything but democracies, this 
symbol stands, this symbol shines, this symbol is open for business.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor and 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. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the 
quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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