Russ Feingold: “during this discussion of the Transportation appropriations bill, I've been reminded of a piece of Senate history--the…”

“during this discussion of the Transportation appropriations bill, I've been reminded of a piece of Senate history--the push to break the railroad companies' iron grip on railroad rates by setting up the Interstate Commerce Commission. It was a fierce battle that pitted the public's interest against the economic and political might of the railroads, a clash that was ultimately won by those favoring regulation, resulting in the passage of the Hepburn Act in 1906. One powerful voice for consumer interests in those days belonged to Senator Robert M. La Follette, Sr., of my home state of Wisconsin, one of the greatest Senators ever to hold the office. It's fitting that his portrait now hangs in the Senate Reception Room outside of this chamber along with four other legendary Senators--Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and Robert Taft. A fearless champion of the American people in the face of the powerful influence of special interests, La Follette did not hesitate to speak out against the railroad companies. In fact, he did so during his first speech in the U.S. Senate in April of 1906, when La Follette broke the unwritten rule that freshman Senators did not make floor speeches. And La Follette didn't just make any floor speech--he delivered an oration that lasted several days and covered 148 pages in the Congressional Record.”