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Senate Democrats News Conference

Date: Jan. 7, 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Senior Citizens Entitlements and the Safety Net

HEADLINE: SENATE DEMOCRATS NEWS CONFERENCE RE: NEW DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP WITH SENATOR THOMAS DASCHLE (D-SD), SENATE MINORITY LEADER; AND OTHERS

BODY:
SEN. BILL NELSON (D-FL): In times of war and a faltering economy, the people should have the confidence that they have the leadership. With Tom and Harry, we have that leadership.

It was a privilege for Patty and me to work on the campaigns this last time, and that was under very difficult circumstances, but—difficult circumstances of losing Paul Wellstone. And yet the Senate still remains razor thin in the division between the two caucuses. Now that they have asked me to assume this position of a deputy whip, to bring a perspective of a moderate Democrat, a Southerner, I accept this with enormous gratitude, and especially the gratitude that we have the leadership in the persons of Tom Daschle and Harry Reid.

SEN. BEN NELSON (D-NE): Well, first of all, I'd like to thank our leader for showing some confidence in—showing really a lot of self-confidence in asking people with a lot of diverse ideas to serve on a committee. Now very often, leaders of lesser worth bring people on who share every view of theirs so that they don't have to work through diversity. Diversity of opinion, I think, is strengthening the party, will strengthen the caucus, it will help us, I think, better serve the American people, which is clearly our goal.

I think bringing a couple of reforming governors—recovering governors here -- (laughter) -- to this group will benefit us, but I think it will also benefit the leadership council because we'll have an opportunity to raise the issues of what's happening at the state level from a first-hand experience. Having some business experience, I think, perhaps will also contribute to the strengthening of the ideas and the reforms that will come from this group.

So I really appreciate the opportunity to begin to take homeland security and make it hometown security; to be able to address the issues that are right there on the streets in our communities, so that we can strengthen all of our securities: Social Security, pension security, health security. This is going to be an 108th Congress focused on security. I hope we focus on every aspect of security.

Thank you.

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