E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 107th CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 147 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2001 No. 14 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 6, 2001, at 2 p.m. Senate THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2001 The Senate met at 9 a.m., in execu- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The legislative clerk read the nomi- tive session, and was called to order by The Honorable MICHAEL D. CRAPO led nation of John Ashcroft, of Missouri, the Honorable MICHAEL D. CRAPO, a the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: to be Attorney General. Senator from the State of Idaho. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- United States of America, and to the Repub- pore. Under the previous order, the lic for which it stands, one nation under God, time until 9:15 shall be under the con- PRAYER indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. trol of the majority party. The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John f Mr. REID. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum. Ogilvie, offered the following prayer: APPOINTMENT OF ACTING The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Almighty God, this is the day You PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE pore. The clerk will call the roll. have made, we will seek to serve You The PRESIDING OFFICER. The The legislative clerk proceeded to in it; this is Your Chamber, we want to clerk will please read a communication call the roll. honor You in it; this is Your Senate, to the Senate from the President pro Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I ask we desire to maintain the unity of tempore (Mr. THURMOND). unanimous consent the order for the Your Spirit and the bond of peace The legislative clerk read the fol- quorum call be rescinded. through it. Give us an acute sense of lowing letter: The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- the power of the words we speak. Grant U.S. SENATE, pore. Without objection, it is so or- the Senators the ability to disagree PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, dered. without being disagreeable, to declare Washington, DC, February 1, 2001. Under the previous order, the time truth without depreciation of each oth- To the Senate: until 9:30 shall be under the control of Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, the Senator from Iowa. er’s character, to state convictions of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby without demeaning disdain, to refrain Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, after re- appoint the Honorable MICHAEL D. CRAPO, a viewing his testimony before the Judi- from egregiousness in an effort to ex- Senator from the State of Idaho, to perform plain, and to judge merits without the duties of the Chair. ciary Committee and studying his long being judgmental. STROM THURMOND, public record, I cannot support the President pro tempore. nomination of John Ashcroft to be Dear Father, this is a crucial day for Mr. CRAPO thereupon assumed the United States Attorney General. the Senate. Remind the Senators on chair as Acting President pro tempore. This is not an easy decision for any both sides of the aisle that what goes of us. We have all served in this body around does come around. Bless this f with former Senator Ashcroft. I cannot Senate. Keep the Senators close to You RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME say that I was a personal friend of his. and to each other so that when the The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- We never associated socially or any- vote this afternoon is over, we will not pore. Under the previous order, leader- thing like that, but I did have dealings have lost the respect that galvanizes ship time is reserved. with Senator Ashcroft, as we all do and the reconciliation that heals. We f around here, on matters of legislative simply want to live this day knowing importance. You will be the judge of what is said NOMINATION OF JOHN ASHCROFT Quite frankly, in my dealings with and how it is said. We commit our- TO BE ATTORNEY GENERAL him, I always found him to be cour- selves to civility and care as men and The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- teous to me and my staff. I found that women who are accountable to You. pore. The Senate will resume consider- we could work together even though we You are our Judge and Redeemer. ation of the Ashcroft nomination, did not have the same views, perhaps, Amen. which the clerk will report. on certain pieces of legislation. I found ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S933 . S934 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 1, 2001 that we worked together in the spirit to Luxembourg on the totality of complished judge as ‘‘pro-criminal and of compromise here on the Senate Hormel’s record. I spoke with Ambas- activist,’’ a man with a ‘‘tremendous floor. sador Hormel just last week about this. bent toward criminal activity.’’ When John Ashcroft’s name was first He said he had never had any contact Mr. Ashcroft stood on this floor—I announced as the nominee for Attorney with Senator Ashcroft, not when he remember listening to him, and I General, I, of course, thought to my- was dean of students at the University couldn’t believe someone actually said self, he certainly would not have been of Chicago Law School and not since he this about a sitting State supreme my first choice, but then again George was nominated in 1997. He did not re- court justice from his own State—that Bush was not my first choice for Presi- cruit Mr. Ashcroft for law school. As Judge White had ‘‘a tremendous bent dent. But I recognized that Presidents dean of students, of course—and there toward criminal activity.’’ should have fairly large leeway to have are a lot of students there—Mr. Hormel I don’t know Ronnie White. I have the people around them they want. was honest; he said: I can’t remember. met him only once. But after I looked But, again, we also have an obliga- Maybe when he was a student, I might over his record it seemed to me that tion, a constitutional obligation, in the have met him. I might have talked to what Mr. Ashcroft was saying was not advise and consent clause in the U.S. him. I might have said something to a only false, it was defamatory. And it is Constitution to look over those indi- group of students. He may have come behavior unworthy of a U.S. Attorney viduals, to give careful scrutiny to into my office for something. But I General. It is one thing in a political those individuals, to make sure that have no recollection of that. campaign to take on your political op- we, as a body collectively—at least by Furthermore, Mr. Hormel emphati- ponent and hit him with tough words majority vote—are able to believe that cally stated he did not ‘‘recruit’’ John in tough races, but you can fight back. nominated officials will have the hon- Ashcroft for Chicago Law School. When I have been hit pretty hard in some of esty, the character, and wherewithal to he was nominated in 1997, Mr. Hormel my political campaigns. But when the carry out their duties and to serve all repeatedly tried to meet with John election is over, you get over it because of the American people well. Ashcroft to talk to him. Even if I op- at least you are able to fight back. After long and difficult deliberation, pose someone, I at least give them the Here was a Senator using the privileges I have come to the conclusion that courtesy to come in and make their of the floor of the Senate to personally there are significant questions raised case. I have always made that policy, defame the character of a sitting Su- on John Ashcroft’s fitness to be our because maybe there is something I preme Court justice of the State of Nation’s chief law enforcement officer. haven’t heard or something I would Missouri when that judge had no abil- First and foremost, I have serious look at differently. John Ashcroft ity to fight back. concerns about the misleading state- would not even meet with Jim Hormel. Finally Mr. White did get his day, ments Mr. Ashcroft made during the Mr. Hormel did get a recess appoint- sort of, in court before the Judiciary confirmation hearings. ment from President Clinton, served Committee. I commend Senator LEAHY As we all know, Senator Ashcroft well, and was distinguished in his post for making sure Ronnie White got his strongly opposed the nomination of Mr. in Luxembourg. I asked people at the day here to show that he is a distin- Jim Hormel as Ambassador to Luxem- State Department in charge of that guished justice, that he has absolutely bourg. Jim Hormel, a distinguished area how he performed, and they said the opposite of a bent toward criminal lawyer, successful businessman, educa- extremely well. They said that he had activity. He also strongly believes in tor, philanthropist a scion of our fa- conducted his position in the best in- upholding the law, ensuring that every mous midwestern families. We all have terests of the United States and as a person, no matter how low that person heard of Hormel Meats. We probably distinguished Ambassador.