8 May 2001 Source: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aaces002.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [Congressional Record: January 5, 2001 (Senate)] [Page S35-S42] From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:cr05ja01-16] SENATE PROCEDURE IN THE 107TH CONGRESS [Excerpt] The PRESIDING OFFICER. The time of the Senator has expired. The Senator from Kansas is recognized for 4 minutes. Mr. ROBERTS. I thank the distinguished Presiding Officer. Madam President, the motto from my home State of Kansas is ``Ad astra per aspera.'' Translated it means ``to the stars through difficulty.'' If you take a look at our pioneer past and the history of the problems we experienced in the West, our heritage and progress we have made as a free State, the motto is very appropriate. Perhaps ``to the stars through difficulty'' should be the appropriate motto to describe the challenge we face in the Senate as we begin what Senator Byrd has described as a very historic and a very unprecedented session. With a 50/50 membership split, we have to proceed in a bipartisan fashion or we are not going to proceed. I thank and pay credit to the distinguished majority leader, Senator Daschle, and our distinguished Republican leader, Senator Lott, for persevering. Senator Byrd said it was excruciating, and it probably has been. There has been a lot of second-guessing, a lot of concern, a lot of frustration, a lot of worries. I have had some of those, but they have basically worked out what we hope will be a blueprint of Senate rules and procedures that will allow us to work together and avoid gridlock and get something done. Our respective leaders have said, and will speak for themselves, that this will not be easy. Senator Domenici and Senator Gramm have expressed those concerns. I suppose some are wondering why a worker bee or a rank-and-file person in the Senate should be here as opposed to the leadership and the distinguished chairmen of the committees, but I have a little history in regard to this body and the other body. I served 14 years as a staffer, 16 years in the House of Representatives, and now 4 in the Senate. That is a long time. I am the only member of the Kansas delegation who has ever served in the minority. That is rather astounding to me. I can remember when how legislation was considered and when it was considered in the House was a foregone conclusion. There were an awful lot of Charlie Stenholm-Pat Roberts amendments. All of a sudden, they became Roberts-Stenholm amendments. I can remember how that worked. In the Agriculture Committee, we were not that partisan. I have a great deal of reverence for this body. I serve on the Agriculture Committee. We have to get a farm bill done, tax policy changes, sanctions reform; we have to have an export policy that works. Our farmers and ranchers are still hurting. Senator Harkin and Senator Lugar will devise ways to get that done. We cannot hold that up. The distinguished chairman-to-be after January 20 and the distinguished Senator from Michigan have quality of life issues with our armed services people; we have our vital national interests to prioritize; we have some recruiting problems, some retention problems. Quite frankly, our military is stressed, strained, and hollow. We must address this. It is our national security. We cannot hold this up. We have to move ahead. I also serve on the Intelligence Committee. In that respect, the chairman-to-be, Senator Shelby, and the current chairman have to detect and deter and get ready for consequence management with all sorts of problems in regard to terrorism and homeland defense. We are talking about the individual freedoms and the security of the American people. We cannot hold that up by a filibuster or any kind of gridlock. In regard to what we have to do, let us follow the example of President-elect Bush. He has said: Let us unite. I am a uniter; I am not a divider. We can do that. We can follow his example. We have reached out with a hand of friendship and trust, as described by Senator Stevens. We ought to seize that opportunity. ________________