Byron Dorgan: “my colleagues and I intend to come here to the floor today to discuss the agenda and what we see ahead of us in this…”

“my colleagues and I intend to come here to the floor today to discuss the agenda and what we see ahead of us in this congressional session, the second session of this Congress. My expectation is that we will find ourselves this year, just as we have in previous years, debating a range of controversial, interesting, and in some cases very provocative issues. We will agree on some of these issues on a bipartisan basis. There may well be aggressive debates about other issues. That is the way the democratic system works. That is the way it should work. Where we can reach across the aisle and achieve agreement and do the right thing for this country in a harmonious way, good for us. That's what the American people expect us to do. However, when there are policy issues that are very, very controversial, the people expect us to have a vigorous debate, and we will do that. Most of us head home on weekends or during time when the Senate is not in session. I expect other Senators had the same experience I did during this most recent recess. Constituents say to you, ``Well, what are you doing down there in Washington? What's going on in Washington? What's happening in the Senate?'' It's a question that everyone asks, no matter where you meet them. What is happening in the U.S. Senate, and what is happening down here in Washington with respect to legislative duties, is whatever we decide to have happen here on the floor.”