Senator Thad Cochran, R-Miss., chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the 2006 Terry Sanford Distinguished Lecturer, discussed the history and evolution of the Senate Tuesday afternoon in front of an audience of approximately 100 people.
In his lecture, "The U.S. Senate: Looking Backward and Moving Forward," he explored the historical purpose of the Senate and its role as defined by the Constitution. He also discussed its evolution and influence on national unity, stability and individual freedom.
"The framers debated longer and more intensely about the Senate than any other federal institution," he said.
Cochran, who has served in the Senate for 28 years and was recently named one of America's 10 best senators by Time magazine, addressed three powers unique to the Senate: the filibuster, treaty ratification and the confirmation of presidential nominations.
Senators serve as important advisors to presidents, guiding the crafting of treaties and appointments to important executive offices, Cochran said.
"The process of selecting federal district judges has evolved to the point where senators of the president's own party are looked to for recommendations of appointees who will serve in districts in their home states," he said.
Cochran said senators influence national policy when they confirm appointments to the Cabinet and other high-level positions in the executive. This same power can be exercised to influence foreign policy when ambassadors come before the Senate to be approved.
The mischaracterization of John Bolton's personality during his confirmation hearings for the position of U.S. ambassador to the United Nations demonstrated how politically divisive the process can be, Cochran explained.
"Unfortunately, the process can sometimes resemble, in the eyes of the beholder, a mean-spirited or highly partisan political exercise that makes us wonder why anyone would accept a Supreme Court nomination or any other highly visible position of national responsibility," he added.
Cochran explained that another responsibility of the Senate is aiding imperiled regions of the country during national emergencies.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Senate approved $87 billion in emergency appropriations for Gulf Coast states, he said.
"The Senate has been looked to by the South as a kind of refuge and a place where they are given an equal voice," he said.
Robert Lalka, a first-year graduate student in public policy, traveled to the Gulf Coast a few weeks ago to offer policy consulting as part of the Duke-New Orleans Post-Katrina Partnership. He recently sought advice from Cochran about the project.
"Senator Cochran provided many great ideas about how we can use Duke's resources to help the areas affected by Katrina," he said. "I'm personally looking forward to connecting the Duke community to the folks whom we met during the trip."
Lauren Egger, a freshman from Mississippi, said the widely admired Cochran gained even more support by ensuring disaster relief reached her home state.
"Even though he is a Republican, Democrats in Mississippi respect him so much that they will agree with his decisions and policies even if they go against their Democratic ideas," she said.
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