[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 23509]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                      CHRISTMAS EVE IN THE SENATE

  Mr. CRAIG. Senator Bond and Senator McConnell are not in the Chamber. 
I know their work with the Senator from Connecticut is dedicated to the 
end we all want to see in reform because there is an obsolescence to 
the voting system that has to be addressed. I think that is without 
question. I guess my only frustration by the majority leader's comments 
was earlier this week he talked about bringing a farm bill to the 
Senate. We now have a railroad retirement bill. We still have 
appropriations to do, and several conference reports coming out of 
that, and we hope yet a stimulus package now that we know America truly 
is in a recession. We have known that for some time, but it is now 
officially proclaimed.
  Not in any way to lessen the importance of a debate over election 
reform, and that is important, I cannot yet quite understand how we get 
all of this done in time to get out for Christmas.
  Before the Thanksgiving recess, I had offered Senator Boxer of 
California an opportunity to join with me--she from the Democratic 
side, I from the Republican side--to organize Christmas caroling for 
the Senate so we could join together in unity, as we have for the last 
several weeks, and sing Christmas carols on the eve of Christmas.
  I suggest if we are going to do election reform, if we are going to 
do a stimulus package, if we are going to do a farm bill, and I add an 
energy bill because I think right now energy is every bit as important 
to the American consumer as election reform is to the American voter, 
and let us see what else is on that schedule--oh, yes, I forgot, 
railroad retirement reform--then it is going to be a merry little 
Christmas in Washington for all Senators who cannot make it out the 
night before to their home States. My State is about 2,500 miles 
further away than the Senator from Connecticut. So I say to Senator 
Dodd, have yourself a very merry little Christmas.

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