[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 100]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         PRESERVING THE SENATE

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, before I read a statement into the Record 
which was written by the minority leader, Senator Reid, I have to say 
that the Senators who serve on the Democratic side of the aisle are 
committed to the traditions, precedents, and the rules of the Senate. 
We, of course, will work to preserve this great institution and protect 
our own individual rights and responsibilities in the Senate.
  I welcome what Senator McConnell, our new majority leader, has 
envisioned as a more active floor in the Senate where we do not run 
into lengthy and repeated filibusters but bring amendments to the 
floor, debate them, vote on them, and ultimately pass legislation. That 
is the procedure of the Senate which historically had been honored but 
fell, sadly, into disrepair over the last several years.
  Although we hope our minority status in the Senate is short-lived, I 
think we will establish that the Democrats are a much better minority 
when it comes to the Senate than perhaps those on the other side of the 
aisle, but only time will tell.

                          ____________________