Trent Lott: “I indicated last Saturday on a radio show that if we could get this answer to the American people's prayers this week, I…”

“I indicated last Saturday on a radio show that if we could get this answer to the American people's prayers this week, I would whistle ``Hail to the Chief'' in the Senate. Well, the rules do not allow that. I am afraid that Senator Byrd would come down and chastise me if I whistle, but let me tell you I am humming ``Hail to the Chief'' to the American people today because we have accomplished an awful lot in reaching the agreement on these two major bills. I was reading an article last night entitled, ``O Ye of Little Faith,'' and it made me think about what we have gone through the last few weeks. I just have to ask the Senate this morning, how many of us really, really thought we were going to get this done and that we were going to get it done this week? Even 1 week ago there were those who were saying, ``Oh, no, you can't get that done before we go out for the August recess. Wait until September; we will do it then.'' But we persisted. We just kept saying we can get through this. We can do this together. We can do the right thing for the American people, and we can do it now, because it has been a long time coming. I think it is appropriate that on both sides of the aisle and both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, Republicans and Democrats, House and Senate, and, yes, the President, all are saying this is good for America. It is not utopia. It does not solve all the problems. There are some things in here I do not like.…”