[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 535]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS

  Mr. REID. Madam President, yesterday I had the opportunity to meet 
with my Democratic Senate caucus for the first time this year. It was 
the first opportunity for all of us to sit down together, to break 
bread, and to discuss challenges and opportunities we all face. As the 
majority leader, I was gratified to see so many new faces and to have 
such an inclusive caucus. It was music to my ears to hear the 
announcement that the Presiding Officer today would be Heidi Heitkamp.
  We have nine new Democratic Senators. Four of these new Senators are 
women, and so about one-third of our Democratic caucus is now women. We 
have, for example, the first Asian woman. We have expanded our 
majority. I am particularly satisfied that with each passing election 
cycle our caucus better reflects the Nation it serves. But despite the 
diversity of the caucus--and in particular its freshmen--there is one 
quality shared by each Democratic Senator: deep and abiding patriotism.
  As Governor Adlai Stevenson said:

       Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but 
     the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.

  That is true. Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, 
but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime. If we look at the 
records, the careers of these new Senators, that is the way it is.
  Each person coming here reminds me of my first few weeks in the House 
of Representatives when Tip O'Neill--we had a large incoming class, so 
he called us in these groups of maybe 15 or so, and he told us 
something I have always remembered. He said: Each of you are successful 
politicians or you wouldn't be here. And that is true. I say that to 
each of my new Senators. They are successful politicians, and there is 
nothing wrong with the word ``politician.'' I am proud I am a 
politician. I am proud I serve in government, and we should each be 
proud.
  So I am pleased now, and I was pleased yesterday, to be surrounded by 
so many dedicated public servants, new Members and old alike, who have 
devoted their lives to making their individual States and our shared 
Nation a better place in which to grow up, grow a family, and grow old.
  Each new Democratic Member is accomplished, I repeat, in his or her 
own right. Our new caucus members include a couple of former Governors, 
a Harvard law professor, an engineer, just to name a few. While they 
have each accomplished so much already, their greatest achievements are 
still ahead of them. I know they will look back with satisfaction on 
the work we do together in the Senate.
  Our caucus, this Congress, and our country face immense challenges. 
As we approach these tests and trials, this diverse group of new 
Democratic Senators will be united by a single objective: to fight for 
fairness and balance on behalf of the middle class.


                          Senate Rules Reform

  We are going to continue to work on Senate rules reforms. I will 
continue to work with the Republican leader on a package of reforms I 
hope we can agree on. As I have said before, if we don't agree, then we 
are going to do something as a Democratic caucus alone. I remain 
cautiously optimistic we will be able to move forward on a bipartisan 
basis. I hope we can do that. I will have more to say about that if, in 
fact, we can do that.
  We are not going to get everything we want, and the Republicans 
aren't going to get everything they want. But maybe we can find a sweet 
spot in the middle and come up with something that will make the Senate 
more efficient. However, Democrats reserve the right of all Senators to 
propose changes to the Senate rules. We will explicitly not acquiesce 
in the carrying over of all the rules from last Congress. There must be 
some agreement reached or we will have to use every means to make the 
Congress--especially the Senate--more efficient.
  Would the Chair announce the business of the day.

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