Thomas Daschle: “The other day, I quoted the writer Thomas Wolfe who said: America is not only the place where miracles happen, they…”

“The other day, I quoted the writer Thomas Wolfe who said: America is not only the place where miracles happen, they happen all the time. If the resolution I will soon introduce is not miraculous, it is, at the very least, historic. It is also fair and reasonable. The details and the spirit of this agreement, which I expect the Senate to pass later today, should enable us to conduct our Nation's first 50/50 Senate in a most productive and bipartisan manner. I especially thank the Republican leader, Senator Lott. We will enter into a colloquy in a period of time to be later determined, but I must say, without his leadership and his sense of basic fairness, this agreement would not have come about. He and I have spent many hours over the last several months, and now weeks, and certainly in the last several days, negotiating the details of this agreement. He spent many more hours consulting with the members of his caucus about it. He and they deserve credit for taking this unprecedented step. I also thank and commend my colleagues on this side of the aisle for their good counsel and patience as this agreement was negotiated, and for their support of the finished product. I particularly thank our distinguished President pro tempore, Robert C. Byrd, for his advice. When you are making history, you can't have a better guide than the man who has literally written the book on the history of the Senate.”