Arlen Specter: “Jim came to the Senate in 1972 when he was first detailed to the committee from the Department of Labor. He found his…”

“Jim came to the Senate in 1972 when he was first detailed to the committee from the Department of Labor. He found his place quickly and began responding to what were known as ``Harleygrams''--daily instructions from Harley Dirks, who was Senator Magnuson's clerk of the Labor, HEW and Related Agencies Subcommittee, as it was called then. After Senator Magnuson, Jim served under Senator Schmitt in the 97th Congress, and then Senator Weicker and Senator Chiles. Since the 101st Congress, the Senator from Iowa and I have exchanged the gavel on several occasions. I never miss a chance to mention that I always prefer to have the gavel in my hand. On this occasion, I should also say that I prefer to have Jim Sourwine's services on staff as well.”