Thomas Daschle: “Next Monday, March 15, the Senate will be in recess. As Julius Caesar could tell you, the Ides of March is a good day to…”

“Next Monday, March 15, the Senate will be in recess. As Julius Caesar could tell you, the Ides of March is a good day to be far from the Senate Chamber, but this Ides of March the Senate family has something to celebrate: the 25th anniversary of Marty Paone's service to the Senate Chamber. The Senate is not the simplest of institutions. The rules and traditions that govern our work can seem baffling even to the most experienced legislator. Marty has the most comprehensive understanding of the rules and procedures of the Senate of anyone I have ever known. We may lose an issue because we do not have the votes, but in my time in the Senate we have never lost an issue on procedural grounds. In fact, we have even won a few, and when we do, it is thanks to Marty's extraordinary knowledge and unerring counsel. He not only knows what the rules are, but how they serve the greater purpose of maintaining the Senate's unique role within our democracy. This innate understanding has come as a result of a quarter century of dedicated service to the Senate and our Nation.”