this is where byrd dpriew antiquity to rouse rouse colleagues to present challenges and where in later years he would critique successors on the finer points of procedure. this is where mitchell honed the skills he needed to help bring warring exphiewntses together. -- warring communities together. this is where dole shared war stories with inouye and with a fateful tap on the shoulder, where he would partner with moynihan in their effort to reform social security. the names of many senators who come before us are etched into the desk we sit at today. the men and women who precede us include future presidents and vice presidents. they include former athletes, veterans and astronauts. we've forgotten some. we remember others. but their legacies live on. here's how senator claude pepper put it: "the senate," he said, "is inefficient, unwielding, and inconsistent. it has foibles. it has vanities. it has members who are great and those who think they are great. but like democracy, it is strong. it has survived many changes. it has saved the country from many catastrophes, and it is a safeg