Lateefah Simon: “because I am interested in adopting this, and I am not trying to cause problems on the floor, I will withhold my request…”

“because I am interested in adopting this, and I am not trying to cause problems on the floor, I will withhold my request at this point. But I want to assure my colleagues on the floor, I am going to bring this amendment up one way or another on this bill before it passes. If I may add one other point, Mr. President, and I say to my colleague from Delaware, as well as Senator Glenn from Ohio, if there is some wording here that needs improvement, I am not wedded to this wording. We think we have drawn it very carefully. But if there is something that is not prudent here, what we say is that where there is on the basis of personal knowledge or records of the person furnishing we can make an evaluation of the work performance, ability, aptitude, general qualifications, valuation of character, loyalty, or suitability of such individual. I think those are the kind of things that should not present a problem. I hope we will do this. Let me just add, I am leaving this body. This is going to have a lot more to do with the future of Senator Roth and Senator Thompson and the distinguished junior Senator from Minnesota than it will for Paul Simon. But I want to be free if I have a good staff person or I know someone would be good for a job, to write a letter of recommendation. My experience is those letters do not mean that much, but at least I can get it off my chest. I want to have the right to write that letter and not just leave that right to lobbyists and others.”