Thomas Daschle: “I join my colleague, the majority leader, in welcoming all of our colleagues back, and also our staff and a new class of…”

“I join my colleague, the majority leader, in welcoming all of our colleagues back, and also our staff and a new class of pages who are starting today. We are pleased they could join us. We know they will be enjoying their experience, and we are delighted they could be here as we begin this important business. I had the opportunity to talk with Senator Frist briefly this morning. He and I come to the floor this morning with the realization that, with what limited time is left, we must do what our eloquent Chaplain has just prayed we would do; that is, we find the common ground required to deal with the array of legislative challenges that we face as a Senate body and as a country. It would be my hope we could do what the majority leader has suggested, which is to begin deliberations on the Homeland Security appropriations bill very early in the session, hopefully as early as tomorrow.”