"I want," freshman Senator Gale McGee wrote to Johnson, to take time to convey to you my deep personal appreciation for the committee assignments. Because of these appointments we freshmen have no alibis if by the end of this session we have failed to produce--in other days I suspect freshmen Senators have been able to excuse their early actions by the heavy hand of the old seniority system--but not now. Your action has given to us both individually and collectively both the responsibility and opportunity"