Thomas Daschle: “the Senate recently bid farewell to a longtime employee, William J. Lackey, who retired from the position of Journal…”

“the Senate recently bid farewell to a longtime employee, William J. Lackey, who retired from the position of Journal Clerk. Bill was a familiar presence on the Senate dais, faithfully and accurately recording the daily proceedings of the Senate. In fact, the Constitution requires that ``each house of Congress shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time . . . publish the same.'' The Journal is the highest authority on actions taken by the Senate and can only be changed by a majority vote or by unanimous consent. Bill was responsible for recording the minutes of the Senate's legislative proceedings for publication as the annual Senate Journal. He always undertook this responsibility with great professional diligence and attention to detail. In total, Bill gave 35 years of service to the Senate, more than 20 of those in the Office of the Journal Clerk. We all owe a debt of gratitude to Bill for his faithful and dedicated service, and wish him well in his retirement.”