Tom Harkin: “I come to the floor today to give some remarks that I give about every 2 years, I guess, when the Senate reconvenes for…”

“I come to the floor today to give some remarks that I give about every 2 years, I guess, when the Senate reconvenes for a new Congress. Now this is a new Congress, so once again I come here to point out that we need to make some changes in the way we operate. I have been in this body for 28 years. I am currently eighth in seniority. As soon as Senator Kerry becomes Secretary of State, I will be seventh in seniority. I am proud to represent the great State of Iowa; I am proud to be a Senator, to serve in this illustrious body. I have been in the majority and minority I think up to five times in the Senate. Before that, I served 10 years in the House. I love the Senate. It is a wonderful institution--it is, as envisioned by our Founders. The Senate at times has been frustratingly slow to encompass the changes necessary to the smooth functioning of our country. I mention in particular the long, long struggle for civil rights and how that was held up by a small minority--which happened to be in my party, by the way, at that time. Nonetheless, the Senate through the years has really been the Chamber that takes a long and hard look at legislation, where we have the right to amend, where we have the right to discuss and to embark upon discourse on legislation in a manner that allows even the smallest State to be represented as much as a large State. That is not true in the body that both the occupant of the chair and I used to serve in, the House.…”