[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 2584-2585]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      RELATIONSHIPS IN THE SENATE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, people who watch us on television should 
understand that everything we do is not dour and kind of frowny. There 
are times, when we are away from the cameras, that we get along well 
and have a good time.
  There is no better example of that than this morning. Every week at 8 
o'clock in the morning on Wednesday we meet downstairs for the Senate 
Prayer Breakfast. I go there as often as

[[Page 2585]]

I can. It is really very stimulating, and I am always glad I go every 
time I do go. But today was especially good because Al Franken, the 
junior Senator from Minnesota, was making the presentation. Even though 
there is an opening prayer and a closing prayer, there is some talk in 
between that, and his presentation was terrific. And of course we all 
know Al Franken, and so a lot of it was funny.
  But I just want everyone watching us this morning to know we are not 
always--I used the word--dour. There are times when we smile and have a 
good time.
  Everyone knows the Presiding Officer and I have total disagreement on 
policy, but I so admire the Presiding Officer. Without reservation, I 
can say we are friends--not just political friends, but we are friends. 
A year ago, when I was injured, because he is an ophthalmologist, he 
reached out to me and gave me his advice and mostly his concern, for 
which I am grateful.
  I think if we stopped and looked around at each other, we would find 
many such relationships such as the one with the Presiding Officer and 
the senior Senator from Nevada, and I appreciate that.

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