Frank Lautenberg: “If I may, Mr. President, I too, want to say that my work with Pete Domenici was illuminating, a learning experience at…”

“If I may, Mr. President, I too, want to say that my work with Pete Domenici was illuminating, a learning experience at times. His smile sometimes was beguiling, but the steel nerves always showed through. It was a good experience. I noted with one of our colleagues over there, Senator Nickles--and I am sure that he does not mind my quoting him here--he said that this markup in the budget was the least acrimonious that he had seen in his 17 years on the Budget Committee. I, too, in the 14 years I have been on the Budget Committee. We had plenty of differences. Do not let anybody think it was smooth going all the way. But there was a determination to get the job done. It was largely Pete's leadership and our willingness to just put aside some differences. My leader, Tom Daschle, was always there to encourage me and the team. Senator Lott, too, you know how to push at times and how to pull at other times. You still got us going in the same direction. I don't get it. But it was a pleasure working with the majority leader. My team, John Cahill, Bruce King, Sander Lurie, Marty Morris, Sue Nelson, Mitch Warren, and the others whom I was fortunate enough to inherit from the experienced days of Senator Exon and Senator Sasser, Amy Abraham, Matt Greenwald, Phil Karsting, Jim Klumpner, Nell Mays, and Jon Rosenwasser, everybody helped enormously. I want to say Bill Hoagland and the majority leader's team were cooperative.”