[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 22915]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         CHANGES IN THE SENATE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I was thinking this morning after the prayer 
and pledge how things in the Senate, because of tradition, rarely 
change. But one of the things that has changed during the time I have 
been in the Senate is the Pledge of Allegiance. That wasn't done 
before. I don't know how many years ago the pledge was started, and it 
doesn't matter who the leader of the Senate is, it is something I think 
will be with us forever in the Senate. I think it is a good tradition 
we picked up.
  As I recall--my friend is on the Senate floor, the Republican 
leader--this was started during--was it Senator Frist or Dole? When was 
that, do you recall? It was one of the Republican leaders.
  Mr. McCONNELL. If the majority leader will yield, I think it was 8 or 
10 years ago. Interestingly enough, I believe who first suggested it 
was former Senator Bob Smith of New Hampshire, and it was widely 
recognized on both sides of the aisle that this is something we should 
have been doing for a long time.
  Mr. REID. When I was president of the senate in Nevada, that was 
something we always did. Of course, I remember Bob Smith. I think it 
was a Republican leader, but, regardless, it is something that is a 
part of the tradition now, and I am glad we are doing it.

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