Thomas Daschle

I said on January 3 that I intended to savor every one of the next 17 days. And I am pleased to tell you, I did. In fact, I called my office this morning just to hear the receptionist say--one last time--``Majority Leader's Office.'' I did…

The resolution just agreed to represents an honorable compromise between the two parties on how best to organize the Senate in the 107th Congress. It was agreed to only after extensive negotiations between the two leaders, and after…

I will briefly describe the provisions of the resolution. First, it provides that the membership of Senate committees will be equally divided between the two parties, and that, consistent with a separate resolution passed on January 3…

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…

213 years ago, the Framers of the Constitution created the United States Senate. In all the years since then, only 1,864 Americans have been granted the privilege of serving in this extraordinary body; and that includes the new Senators we…

I congratulate Senator Robb on his remarks. I thank him very much for sharing them with all of us. These past elections brought our caucus nine new members and we hope many new opportunities to address America's priorities. But they also…

although there are a lot of good things in the bill we are about to debate, there is one glaring omission-- legislation to provide Amtrak with the authority to issue tax credit bonds for capital improvements. This bonding authority is…

again, I want to identify myself with the remarks of the majority leader. These staff are the best there could be. I thank them, on behalf of the entire Senate, for their hard work, for their professionalism, for the level of commitment…

this resolution is offered in the most heartfelt and sincere way. These last 2 years have been very difficult. There have been times when it has tested all of us. But no one has been more tested than the majority leader. No one has been…

I am really amazed and somewhat amused. As you look at this so-called conference report, one could almost read it in less than a couple of minutes. I won't do that. But I find it interesting, and I ask the Senator from Massachusetts if he…

I hope my colleagues will come to the floor and express themselves about this legislation. I know a number of our colleagues have indicated an interest in being heard. I note that it is my hope we can still get votes on both the tax bill…

I thank him and commend him for his powerful statement and the eloquence with which he has described our current circumstance. I appreciate especially his interest in reading into the Record many of the concerns the President expressed in…

Well, as I say, I note in amusement, the Senator spent some time talking about the President's veto letter, and I am amused in part because the Speaker has already addressed the veto letter and was asked yesterday if Republicans would be…

if I could just respond, I will probably have to agree to disagree. I suppose you could argue that we have spent a lot more money over the last 27 days than most of us realized in keeping the Senate in session as long as we have. We have…

I will respond, if I could reclaim my time, and say that I know the President has expressed concern on several occasions about the tendency for those of us who serve in the Congress to leave and then not to come back until close to the end…

I wanted to talk briefly tonight about where we are. We are now 26 days into the new fiscal year. We should have completed our work 26 days ago. We are at a stage that should command we work together to try to resolve what remaining…

the Senator from Oregon has stated it so succinctly and so correctly. That is exactly what I am saying. He has noted the extraordinary nature of the provision he has cited. There is a great deal of controversy involving the issue, and I…

the Founding Fathers intended that the legislative process work through strongly held policy differences to establish the law of the land. They saw open dialogue as central to our democracy, and their vision has served the American people…

I want to discuss for just a moment, if I may, my observations about the week and the lack of any activity or communication with the Democratic caucus. I am told that the majority leader has indicated to his caucus members that there won't…

It is time we get the job done. It is time we recognize how important it is we finish our work. It is time we bring people back. Let's keep people here. Let's require they negotiate. Let's work and get our business done before we have to…

I have seen recesses that are more productive than what we have experienced since we started passing CRs. These recesses, as I like to call them--7 days of continuation of a resolution, and then 2 days, if that, of work, maybe 1 day of…

I rise to congratulate all those who have worked so hard for so long on the H-1B bill. Senators Leahy, Hatch, Kennedy, Abraham, Feinstein, Lieberman and Biden have all done an admirable job at putting together a good bipartisan bill that…

I can't believe what I have just heard, frankly. I am really amazed, and I may take a longer time at a later date to respond. I do not even know where to begin. But let me make four points very quickly. First, to the point made by the…

Yesterday's vote demonstrates clearly that there is strong bipartisan support in the Senate for increasing the number of visas for high-skilled workers. On that point, Democrats and Republicans agree, but there is a stark disagreement…

We are here in the last days of this session to make right the problem that has existed all too long. We want to make it right. The President wants to sign this legislation. Unfortunately, apparently with unanimity, every one of our…