The New Congress

Floor Speech

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I thank the majority leader for those kind words. I am happy to report the Democratic leader of the Senate, Senator Reid, is making a speedy recovery from his New Year's run-in with some exercise equipment. His face and ribs are still sore. He is eager to get back to work. We met with him this morning, and we can expect him back in the Senate very soon.

In the meantime, it is a privilege on behalf of the Democratic Caucus to welcome our old colleagues back to work and welcome our new colleagues and their families to the U.S. Senate. I also want to wish Leader McConnell, as he takes up the new duties of the majority leader, the very best. Senator Dirksen was a Senator from my home State of Illinois who served as a Republican leader of the Senate from 1959 to 1969. He famously said, ``I am a man of fixed and unbending principles, the first of which is to be flexible at all times.''

That may sound comical, even contradictory. But Senator Dirksen's ability on flexible tactics and firmness on principles helped produce historic legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, one of the greatest achievements in our Nation's history. I am sure we all will remember that with fondness and pride.

The American people need us to work together to solve problems and create opportunities. For their sake, let us all try to remember that what we are about is honorable compromise. The Constitution of the United States and the Senate itself are the results of just such a compromise.

One other point. One hundred years ago this week, an American industrialist and entrepreneur stunned the world by announcing he would start paying his workers double the industry average and cut the hours. That man, of course, was Henry Ford. He committed to pay his workers a minimum wage.

As we begin this new Congress, let us dedicate ourselves to the working men and women across America, the taxpayers of this country, and the men and women which we so proudly serve. I hope that we will show flexibility and principle. We can't solve America's challenges with the same old thinking. We have to address the problems with mutual respect and with a positive attitude.

I look forward to, on this side of the aisle, working with Senator Reid and my colleagues to achieve that end.

Congratulations to Leader McConnell.

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