Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., has spent a lot of time presiding over the Senate and it finally paid off. After 100 hours in the vice president’s chair, Cassidy on Monday became the first member of the class of 2014 to win the Golden Gavel.  

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., announced that he will present the gavel to his colleague on Tuesday. In his speech, McConnell said, “being in the chair reminds him of all the history in this chamber.”  

“Every now and then, Senator Cassidy says he likes to just soak up the moment,” McConnell said.  

For majority-party freshmen, senior senators often advise presiding as a way to learn floor procedure. The tradition began in the 1950s because before that the vice president would usually preside.  

In 2013, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., won the Golden Gavel and in 1999, former Chief Justice William Rehnquist won an honorary Golden Gavel at the end of the five-week impeachment trial of former President Bill Clinton.  

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