As it became clear that Day Five of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s markup of the bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill would stretch into the night Tuesday, Committee Chairman Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) paused to mark the 62nd birthday of Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.). After a robust round of applause, Senator Franken noted that he’d planned to have dinner with his wife and daughter that night, but would instead stay for the markup.
Senator Coons, who has sat next to Senator Franken since joining the Committee, was ready to make it up to his friend with a celebratory cupcake.
“This isn’t really speeding the bill along, is it,” Senator Franken quipped, hoping to move the attention off of him.
Senator Franken inserted the provided candle into his cupcake, prompting Chairman Leahy to warn that lighting it might set off a fire alarm.
“Then we’d have to all leave,” Senator Franken offered, feining concern to a hearty laugh.
The cupcake was Crumbs’ “Happy Birthday” flavor, described as “Vanilla cake mixed with rainbow sprinkles, filled with vanilla buttercream mixed with rainbow sprinkles and topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting edged with rainbow sprinkles and a yellow rosette in the center.”
