[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 14806]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING MINORITY LEADER

  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Nevada.
  Mr. REID. While the majority leader is in the Chamber--it was not 
appropriate yesterday when we finished the FAA bill--I wish to say in 
his presence that it seems the press always focuses on the flare-ups 
that take place in the Senate in committee or on the floor and they do 
not often recognize the good work done by the Senate. I think the work 
done yesterday on the FAA bill was exemplary. The managers of the bill, 
the chairman and ranking member, Senator McCain and Senator Hollings, 
showed their maturity. They worked through these amendments. When there 
was a debate that was necessary, they had one. When votes were 
necessary, they had votes. There were no unnecessary votes yesterday. 
They were aided by the two subcommittee chairs, Senator Rockefeller and 
Senator Lott.
  I thought yesterday was really a good day for the Senate. The FAA 
reauthorization was one of the most important bills we could do. There 
are things in that bill that will help every part of our country. The 
conferees have already been appointed. They can go to conference as 
early as next week and come back with a bill very soon.
  Again, I say that it is more press worthy to focus on things that go 
wrong and not very press worthy to focus on things that go right, but 
it is a testament to what the Senate can do with the work we did 
yesterday on this bill.

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