Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That, as a mark of respect to the memory of R. Scott Bates, Legislative Clerk of the United States Senate, all flags of the United States located on Capitol Buildings or on…

He was an example of public service at its finest, never claiming the spotlight, never seeking a headline, but always working for the good of this institution and for the country we are here to serve.

Mr. Chief Justice, our Senate family grieves today and our hearts are heavy as a result of the tragic loss of Scott Bates.

The Airline Passenger Fairness Act would ensure that passengers have the information that they need to make informed choices in their travel plans.

Air travel is on the rise. As airport congestion, delays, and fares increase, so have the complaints among airline passengers.

This outcome has, in fact, occurred three times in our history and resulted in the elections of John Quincy Adams (1824), Rutherford B. Hayes (1876), and Benjamin Harrison (1888).

Such an occurrence would clearly not be in the best interest of the people, for they would be denied the ability to directly elect those who serve in our highest offices.

I hope that the timing of this bill's introduction will only underscore the fact that the time has come to put an end to this archaic practice that we must endure every four years.

Today I am proud to reintroduce, along with Congressman Wise from West Virginia, a constitutional amendment that seeks to end the arcane and obsolete institution known as the Electoral College.

I urge all members who are interested in real campaign finance reform to carefully consider cosponsoring this bill.

The problem that needs to be addressed is the use of the frank as a campaign tool whose real 'informational' purpose is to make constituents aware of how deserving we are of reelection.

The legislation I am reintroducing would simply strike mailings of this type from the code, thereby disallowing future use of the frank for these purposes.

I am hopeful that our fellow members on both sides of the aisle will stand with us by cosponsoring this important piece of legislation.

Our bill will replace the complicated electoral college system with the simple method of using the popular vote to decide the winner of a presidential election.

My bill specifically targets franking abuse by cracking down on the use of mass mailings.

last year I introduced H.R. 642, a bill that ends the most pervasive abuse of the frank--sending out unsolicited, self-promotional mass mailings.

In fact, over 70 percent of the work force has been with the company for 15 years or more.

Quality products and hard work are important components to the success of Earnest Machine Products Company, but strong customer service and loyal employees are the backbone of the company's history of success.