[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 19335-19336]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      A CIVIL WORKING RELATIONSHIP

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, prior to our leaving the body for the day 
and for a number of weeks, I want to express my appreciation for the 
pleasure it has been to work with the leader. I have enjoyed it. We 
have differences every day about what Members want to do in this body. 
We have tried, and I think we have accomplished civility. I have never 
to my knowledge raised my voice to the majority leader, nor has he

[[Page 19336]]

raised his voice to me. We have distinct differences on occasion, but 
we have been able to work through those. I hope our ability to work 
together, in spite of the differences of the two political parties, has 
been good for the country.
  We have spent time talking about what we need to do and how we are 
going to accomplish that. We have sometimes even disagreements on that. 
But the disagreements are not in any way unpleasant.
  On behalf of the Democratic Senators, I express my appreciation for 
your always being able and willing to respond to my phone calls 
quickly. Mr. President, I say through you to the distinguished Senator 
from Tennessee, he is always a gentleman, for which I am very grateful.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I do have a longer statement I will make 
here shortly, but I think while the Democratic leader is here, what we 
have seen over the course of the last day, in the last week, in the 
last several weeks, does represent the very best of what this body is 
all about.
  The American people, as the Democratic leader suggested, expect us to 
govern in a way working together with civility, and I think we have 
demonstrated that on some very tough and contentious issues. I look 
forward, as we enter into the post-recess session, to continuing that 
bipartisan civil spirit as we address, again, some very challenging 
issues.

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