Angie Craig: “A good number of years ago I engaged in a conversation with the former Senator from Wyoming, Malcolm Wallop, who you…”

“A good number of years ago I engaged in a conversation with the former Senator from Wyoming, Malcolm Wallop, who you followed to the Senate. We were talking about the advantage of freshmen, new people, coming to the U.S. Congress. I alluded at that time that you can always tell the difference between a freshman and a more senior Member by this simple adage: Freshmen were always going around asking why Government did certain things, and more senior Members were going around saying 'because.' In other words, what has often happened as a result of seniority and longevity of service in the U.S. Senate or the U.S. Congress in general is that Members of those bodies become advocates of Government, defenders of Government, instead of responsible citizen critics of their Government. One of the things that I know the chairman, the President, and I have tried to do, and I mean the President of the Senate, the presiding Chair of the Senate and I have tried to do is be constant critics of Government, critics of Government.”