Thomas R. Carper: “I like to quote Mark Twain from time to time.”

For too long, the seats have not been filled, and not been filled properly.

You and our colleagues have heard me invoke in this room more times than I can count the Golden Rule: Treat other people the way I want to be treated.

Not really. I have just come from the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, which is having a hearing on the Key Bridge, the bridge in Baltimore that was badly damaged.

I usually default to the golden rule, and I think in this case it's a pretty good guide as well.