Senate officials for imposing a news blackout Tuesday after 98-year-old Sen.

Strom Thurmond of South Carolina fell ill on the Senate floor. Lamb told the

Washington daily Roll Call that the incident demonstrated why

Congress should not be able to control the images of what occurs on the

floor. "We never like the fact that the Senate and the House sets this thing

up to protect their own," Lamb remarked. "It is very uncomfortable when

something like this happens." The A.P.'s Curt Anderson, chairman of the

Daily Gallery's Standing Committee of Correspondents was more blunt, telling

Roll Call: "It concerns me when you have a potentially huge news

story unfold on the floor of the Senate and the press has no access."

Thurman was treated for dehydration and returned to work the following day.