Posted on 07/11/2009 1:10:21 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Less than six hours after he was sworn in as MN's junior senator and two hours after casting his first vote (against an amendment sponsored by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) to the Homeland Security Appropriations Act), Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) announced that he has already co-sponsored his first bill.
"As of about a half an hour ago, I became the co-sponsor of my first piece of legislation in the Senate," Franken told a gathering at the AFL-CIO headquarters this evening. "And it's something called the Employee Free Choice Act."
The fight over EFCA is highly-charged, and the battle is taking place largely along party lines. Supporters of the legislation, which would make it easier for unions to organize, were eagerly awaiting Franken's arrival to the Senate so that Dems would secure a filibuster-proof majority. And with many Dems from conservative states still uncommitted, his vote could be critical to the bill's fate.
Franken, a member of four unions, also told audience members that their support was crucial to his 312-vote win over ex-Sen. Norm Coleman (R).
"It is more than fair to say that if it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have won," Franken told the cheering crowd.
"Of course," he continued, poking fun at his slim victory in a rare flash of humor since arriving in Washington last weekend, "you can say that about a lot of people."
Franken wrapped up his 10-minute speech with a tribute to late-Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-MN), his close friend and hero. "You can't talk about this seat without talking about Paul," he said.
Amid the throngs of supporters showering him with well-wishes after his speech, Franken stopped mid-departure to answer a question: What would Wellstone say if he were here tonight?
"I would rather he had been here and it was still his seat, you know?" he replied. "That's what I really wish."
ugh
The guy is really telling me how to live my life.
Thank you so bloody much Minnesota.
You mean Senator Smalley?
Cheering throngs of idiots.
How much do you think Canada would charge us to take Minn off our hands?
Man he must write fast. And know how to put bills together.
Putz.
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