[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 12925]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            WORKING TOGETHER

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I made a decision at the beginning of this 
Congress to go back to the way the Senate used to be, or at least the 
way I saw the Senate. I believed if we moved away from the past 
practices of the last 15 years of limiting the offering of amendments, 
for example, having more debate, not less, that a new spirit would 
develop in this historic body we call the Senate.
  I believe that spirit has come--come slowly--but with the trust of 
the Republicans growing with the majority, amendments have come with 
the idea of improving or changing legislation, not the ``I gotcha'' 
politics, tactics of the past used by both Democrats and Republicans. 
The result has been legislation being passed of which we can all take 
credit:
  The lands bill; Ledbetter, equal pay for men and women; the 
Children's Health Insurance Program, 14 million kids with health 
insurance; the economic recovery package, which is being felt now 
around the country; the omnibus spending bill, which was long overdue; 
national service legislation, allowing 750,000 men and women to become 
involved in public service, getting paid a little bit for that but help 
for their college education.
  We did some things that needed to be done with the budget, reducing 
the deficit in 5 years by as much as two-thirds. We passed housing 
legislation, which will bolster the ability of regulators to do a good 
job of watching what goes on with housing, including strengthening the 
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; passing the financial fraud 
legislation to stop some of the tactics cheaters use to cause the 
problems that were caused leading to this economic crisis. Yesterday 
morning, we passed the credit card legislation.
  We have a long ways to go. But I think we are beginning to trust each 
other that amendments are being offered to take provisions out of 
legislation or to add to legislation to improve it in the mind of the 
person offering the amendment.
  As a result of this, we can all go back to our constituencies during 
this recess saying we are working together now, we are getting some 
things done. This does not help Democrats or Republicans; it helps us 
both, and it helps our country.

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