Patrick Leahy: “Mr. Chief Justice, like others, I want to thank you for your professionalism and good humor in these proceedings even…”

“Mr. Chief Justice, like others, I want to thank you for your professionalism and good humor in these proceedings even though I suspect there are days that both you and I wish we were back at our homes in Vermont rather than here. But I want to tell the Senators also of an extraordinary day that my good friend, Senator Stevens of Alaska, and I spent. We left Sunday afternoon from Washington for the funeral of King Hussein of Jordan. We came back at about 2 o'clock yesterday morning. The delegation was an extraordinary one: Two other Members of Congress, senior members of the President's staff; even the parents of the King's widow, Queen Noor of Jordan, were with us. And the airplane, Air Force One, that is so recognizable around the world as a symbol of America, underscored our country's presence even as it landed. And Ted will recall the TV was on in the plane. We could see they interrupted national television in Jordan to show our plane landing. What was most remarkable to the people assembled from around the world for the funeral was the dramatic appearance not only of the President of the United States, William Jefferson Clinton, but three former U.S. Presidents--Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and George Bush--they joined with President Clinton as an extraordinary demonstration not only of bipartisanship but of a united American commitment to the peace policies of King Hussein, and the U.S. role in a continuing peace process.”