E400 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks March 6, 1997 process to continue to flower in New Haven. the Hispanic minority must be recognized as Were he writing today, Kipling’s Mr. At- Jean is keenly aware that New Haven is noth- a vital part of progress in the United States, kins could have cited the statement released ing without a strong and active artistic commu- offering her enthusiastic support to the pro- by Pentagon officials recently that the mili- grams sponsored by the Hispanic Catholic tary logs for an eight-day period during nity and she has done everything possible to Centers of the Washington Archdiocese. Mrs. which thousands of American troops might allow that community to thrive. Her work re- Herman has been the main line of commu- have been exposed to nerve gas and other minds us all that we have an obligation to sup- nication between His Eminence James Car- Iraqi chemical weapons shortly after the port the arts and to make art accessible to ev- dinal Hickey and President Clinton for issues Persian Gulf war appear to have been re- eryone. She has truly brought the world to having to do with the development of vital moved or lost and cannot be located despite New Haven and in doing so has enriched the social programs for Hispanic and Afro-Amer- an exhaustive search. lives of everyone who participates in or enjoys ican minorities. There are several mysterious gaps in the the arts. At the time of the crisis brought about by otherwise meticulous combat logs. The gaps the assassination of the four ‘‘Brothers to include the period in early March 1991 in f the Rescue’’ pilots by the totalitarian tyr- which American combat engineers blew up SUPPORT OF ALEXIS HERMAN FOR anny of Fidel Castro in February 1996, from the sprawling Kamisiyah ammunition depot her post in the Office of Public Liaison of the in southern Iraq, an event that exposed thou- SECRETARY OF LABOR White House she collaborated with then UN sands of American troops to nerve gas. Ambassador Madeleine K. Albright, and oth- One wonders if ‘‘Mr. Tommy Atkins’’ HON. EARL F. HILLIARD ers, in the formulation of President Clinton’s would feel the need to point out that at one policy in reprisal to that attack. OF ALABAMA time the Defense Department had denied to Alexis Herman has enough merits as a Congress that such combat logs even existed, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES woman, as a prominent member of the Afro- and the DoD released the logs last year only Thursday, March 6, 1997 American minority and as a professional, to after a Georgia veterans group sought them be confirmed by the Senate as Secretary of under the Freedom of Information Act. Mr. HILLIARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to Labor. This would be good for the whole Only recently has the Pentagon acknowl- bring to the attention of this Nation, a recent country. The Senate’s Republican leader edged that the nerve gas sarin and other editorial I read in the largest Spanish-Amer- Trent Lott has said that he will support the chemical weapons had definitely been stored ican newspaper in the Americas. Diario Las nomination and DIARIO LAS AMERICAS in the Iraqi ammunition depot at Kamisiyah Americas, in their February 27, 1997, edition, considers that the Senate should approve it that was destroyed by U.S. troops in March called for the confirmation of Ms. Alexis Her- as soon as possible. 1991. man as our next Secretary of Labor. I must f That event at the Kamisiyah ammunition agree wholeheartedly with its endorsement, depot exposing thousands of U.S. soldiers to WILL AN AMERICAN ‘‘TOMMY’’ a cloud of the nerve gas sarin and other and call on the Senate to confirm her, expedi- PLEASE STAND? deadly chemicals, poisoning from anti-nerve tiously. gas tablets, and poisoning from pesticides As the newspaper points out, Alexis Herman HON. ZOE LOFGREN are the presumptive sources of the disabling has a lifetime of positive public service, which physical health problems that have been OF CALIFORNIA highlights her efforts to improve the progress plaguing veterans and children of veterans of IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES and lives of women, African-Americans, and the Persian Gulf War. Hispanic-Americans. As the President's Assist- Thursday, March 6, 1997 As an attorney, I respect the way Kipling’s ant and Director of the Office of Public Liai- Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, Tom Harney, speaker, ‘‘Mister Atkins,’’ makes his case; his supporting examples are clear and visual, son, she has shown us her savvy, expertise, an attorney in San Jose, CA, has written a his logic is straightforward and his closing and experience. I am also proud to say that thought-provoking article in a recent edition of line poses a clear point for all Americans to she is a native of one of the finest States in Stars and Stripes which concerns the debt we ponder. the Union, Alabama. owe our veterans and soldiers. For those who The concerned but muted and fragmented The Senate Republican leader, Senator do not regularly receive Stars and Stripes, I chorus of American voices would do well to TRENT LOTT has endorsed her nomination wish to make this useful article available. find a present-day point man like ‘‘Tommy after a series of meetings with Ms. Herman. [From the Stars and Stripes, Jan. 26, 1997] Atkins’’ who, armed with fresh examples to support his disparity contention, could force- With this fact taken into consideration, I can't WILL AN AMERICAN ‘‘TOMMY’’ PLEASE STAND? fully champion the rights of responsible think of any legitimate reason why the Senate (By Thomas Roy Harney) Americans and blast his closing line to Pen- can't complete its committee process and Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘‘Tommy’’ rose tagon officials, the Defense Department, the bring Ms. Herman's nomination to the floor for from the depths of my so-called brain re- VA and others—shouting, with the last a vote. I am confident, that once the whole cently, triggered and recalled from those words of the poem, ‘‘Bloomin fools’’ we’re Senate reviews the record of Alexis Herman, depths by the print-media news. not. Tommy, a lawyer’s guide to veterans af- f they will confirm her. fairs, is the name of the quarterly newsletter Mr. Speaker, I request that the whole text of published by the Veterans Law Section of the newspaper endorsement which I men- THE SCANDAL-A-DAY the Federal Bar Association, but I had some- ADMINISTRATION tioned, be placed in the RECORD. how previously failed to make the obvious [From the Diario Las Americas, Feb. 27, 1997] connection between the poem and the news- letter. ALEXIS HERMAN FOR SECRETARY OF LABOR OF HON. GERALD B.H. SOLOMON The poem ‘‘Tommy’’ is from a different THE UNITED STATES OF NEW YORK time, 1892; a different country, Great Brit- The nomination by President Clinton of ain; and almost a different language, English IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Alexis Herman for Secretary of Labor of the Cockney; yet it is right on point concerning Thursday, March 6, 1997 United States is the recognition of her pro- American veterans and all Americans today. fessional, humanitarian and civic merits, ‘‘Tommy Atkins’’ or ‘‘Tommy’’ is the Brit- Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, as someone proven by her intense public service career ish equivalent of the American GI (e.g., Bill who has been looking into the dealings of the which began as Coordinator of the crusade to Mauldin’s Willie and Joe in his popular car- Clinton administration related to campaign train and find jobs for youths sponsored by toon series ‘‘Up Front’’), and ‘‘Tommy At- fundraising, possible breaches of national and the Catholic Church in Mobile, Alabama, and kins’’ is the speaker in Kipling’s poem. economic security and other indiscretions, this most recently as Director of the Office of The speaker is calling our attention to the past week has been very interesting. It would Public Liaison of the White House and Spe- gross disparity in the value that the citi- cial Assistant to the President. zenry places on its soldiers. The unjust dis- appear that there is no end to the sheer arro- Her life in public service has engaged her, parity he observes is the miserable treat- gance and deliberate skirting of the law under after graduating from Xavier University, in ment accorded the soldier and ex-soldier in which this administration has operated. No a rich and varied number of activities de- peacetime, contrasted with their treatment law, and certainly no ethical standard, appear voted to the professional betterment of Afro- when the winds of war are blowing or, as to forestall any efforts by this President to fur- American women, succeeding in her efforts Tommy puts it, when ‘‘there’s trouble in the ther his personal and political interests and as Director of the Black Women’s Employ- wind.’’ those of his associates. From dealings with a ment Program to have companies such as Kipling’s tribute to Mr. Thomas Atkins is Coca-Cola and Delta appoint Afro-American relevant today, because in 1996, more than foreign company and officials with close ties to women to high ranking positions. 100 years after it was penned by him, an the People's Republic of China that likely jeop- In her efforts to improve women’s progress American ‘‘Tommy’’ wouldn’t have to look ardized important economic and national se- in the work and entrepreneurial ranks she too far for modern-day American examples crets, to encouraging meetings at the White has constantly maintained the principle that to support his disparity contention. House with DNC political fundraisers, major March 6, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E401 contributors, and even Federal regulators, this government projects. But it wasn’t just an- this Administration will continue to drain administration has shown a blatant disregard other reinvention. ‘‘The president is sick of away until those questions are answered. for ethical behavior and the public interest in this and wants action,’’ Elaine Kamarck, a The extent to which Mr. Gore’s admission domestic policy adviser to Mr. Gore wrote in dented his own Presidential hopes cannot be a democracy. an e-mail last March, the ‘‘this’’ being that It would be impossible for me to call atten- known immediately. What is clear is the the INS wasn’t moving people along at the utter tackiness and lack of restraint that tion to all the various scandals unfolding proper speed. prevailed within the reelection councils at around this administration in a reasonable The Republican charge is that, in speeding this White House. Mr. Gore now bids to be amount of time. I for one am most concerned up the process, the INS made citizens of remembered as the Vice President who went with questions pertaining to economic and some applicants with criminal records who a clear step beyond what previous Vice other forms of espionage on behalf of foreign should have been barred. The Democratic de- Presidents and Presidents were willing to do. interests by a host of acknowledged friends fense—the current version—is that some of Typically, the party’s top officeholders ap- and associates of the President. I believe this may indeed have occurred, but not be- pear at fund-raising events and thank con- cause of political interference. Rather, it was these to be the most serious and most disturb- tributors in a general way, but they do not the result of simple bungling. You are told do the arm-twisting themselves. It is de- ing of the allegations that will ultimately be the now that you shouldn’t take the political meaning and potentially corrupting for a focus of the media and the main source of the meddling in this process—essentially a law Vice President to ask directly for money, es- American people's disgust. But in the case of enforcement process—seriously not because pecially from people with business before the this administration, it more resembles the old it didn’t happen but because it was ineffec- government. saying ``Pick your poison,'' because there's no tual. Now there’s a comfort. Senior business executives called by the telling what may finally be most damaging. The INS has long been an agency in dis- Vice President felt they were being shaken In October 1996 when I started asking repair. It had and still has a huge naturaliza- down, and they had a right to think so. Such tion backlog, partly the result of increased transgressions against propriety have be- questions about Clinton administration policy applications after the grant of amnesty to toward China and Vietnam, I was one of a few come a recurrent theme with this Adminis- certain illegal aliens in the immigration act tration. Whatever the final adjudication of who found their associations and behavior of 1986, partly now the result as well of last its conduct, this White House has time and suspect. Now, every major newspaper this year’s welfare bill, which cuts off benefits to again blurred lines that other Administra- week has had two and three front-page stories immigrants who fail to naturalize. The agen- tions have drawn between politics and gov- about various indiscretions under President cy was already trying to cut the backlog, as ernment. Clinton and by President Clinton. And why is well it should and if ever there were a can- After the disclosures that Democratic Na- that? It's because there is an unbelievable didate for reinvention, it’s the INS. So you tional Committee officers and staff members had a legitimate project until the folks with wealth of information regarding wrongdoing were attending White House meetings and the hot hands in the White House decided it receptions, using White House phone logs out there. Yet, Attorney General Reno contin- should be a political project as well, at which ues to deny the need for an independent and offering the Lincoln Bedroom and other point it was compromised. perquisites to potential donors, it should counsel. It's hard to believe she's applying the Some of the worst ideas ginned up in the perhaps not be surprising that Mr. Gore felt same law we in Congress wrote just for situa- White House never got anywhere, in part ap- it was all right to sit in his office and call tions like this where it is necessary to remove parently because of stout INS resistance. contributors. politics from an investigation. Clearly there is Nor is it yet clear how many people with dis- Just once we would like to hear of someone credible evidence of illegal activity and infor- qualifying records were made citizens, nor within this Administration’s inner financial how much of that was due to political pres- circle who had the strength, self-discipline mation that links principal figures, that is, sure and how much to just plain everyday in- President Clinton and Vice President GORE, to and taste to say no. Failing that, most peo- competence. But in a way it doesn’t matter. ple would settle for an independent counsel these actions. What matters is that once again the political I urge you, Mr. Speaker, and everyone to to check the Vice President’s reading of the people couldn’t keep their distance from a law and the legality of the entire Democratic take a look at two editorials from the New process that should have been respected and fund-raising operation. York Times and the Washington Post on left alone on decency-in-government grounds, and then they were untruthful March 5, 1997, that outline another abuse at f the hands of the Clinton administration. This about it. Who believes them and goes bail for one involving speeding up the citizenship them next time? IN HONOR OF JAMES AZARIEL process for potential political gain. As you can [From the New York Times, Mar. 5, 1997] AND SELINA ANASTASIA see from their tone, I'm not the only one who BURNETTE THE LAW ACCORDING TO GORE has grown tired of their insatiable political ap- We salute Vice President Al Gore’s deci- petite and disrespect for honest government. sion to come forward and answer questions HON. NICK SMITH The editorials follow: about his role in the Democrats’ unre- OF MICHIGAN [From the Washington Post, Mar. 5, 1997] strained fund-raising in 1996. But surely Mr. BURNED AGAIN Gore and President Clinton know that the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES On subject after subject, this turns out to situation is too messy for the American pub- Thursday, March 6, 1997 be a White House that you believe at your lic to accept Mr. Gore’s relaxed reading of peril. Six months ago, Republicans were ac- the Federal law against soliciting money on Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, last cusing it of trying to make political use of Federal property. Thursday, February 27, wife, Bonnie, and I the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Mr. Gore argued that the law does not were blessed with two new grandchildren. The charge was that the White House had apply to his calls from the White House since Their names are Selina Anastasia and James put the arm on the INS to speed up and cut he used a credit card supplied by the Demo- Azariel Burnett. They are the first children of cratic National Committee and was not so- corners in the naturalization process, the my daughter, Elizabeth Burnett, and her hus- theory being that new citizens would more liciting Federal employees. The Republicans likely vote Democratic than Republican, and and some legal scholars seem to think the band, Fred Burnett. therefore the more of them, the merrier. law actually means what it says, and that Bonnie and I join James and Selina's other The administration responded that there Mr. Gore broke it. Whatever the final resolu- grandparents, Charles and Bonnie Burnette of was no way it would do a thing like that, tion, Mr. Gore’s forthright statement about Rustburg, VA, in welcoming them to the world. manipulate the citizenship process for politi- his actions leaves no doubt that Attorney Selina and James, like my other grand- cal gain, and folks believed it. We ourselves General Janet Reno has the ‘‘credible evi- children, will have a tough time paying back all wrote sympathetically that, while ‘‘some dence’’ of possible law-breaking that she congressional Republicans suspect a Demo- needs to appoint an independent counsel. the money that the Federal Government is cratic plan to load up the voter rolls . . . the Of course, plenty more important evidence borrowing. If we don't change our ways, they administration replies that there are good already exists, and the need for a thorough will have to pay $187,000 each over their life- and innocent reasons for [the] increase.’’ airing will only grow in the days ahead. Mr. times to cover their share of the interest on So now, guess what? It turns out the White Gore’s undignified phone-athon, however de- the national debt. House was in fact leaning on the INS to has- meaning to him and his office, is not the I ask all the parents and grandparents now ten the process, in part in hopes of creating weightiest matter to be explored. What has in Congress to work with me to minimize the new Democratic voters. There are documents to be determined is whether illegal foreign that amply show as much. The attempt was contributions were funneled into the Presi- debt that James, Selina and all the other chil- described in a lengthy account in this news- dent’s re-election effort and whether staff dren and grandchildren will have to pay back. paper by reporter William Branigin the other members at the White House and the D.N.C. If we continue to overspend, their chances for day. It was centered in the office of Vice had knowledge or complicity in such an ef- a good job and a high standard of living will President Gore, where they do reinventing fort. The political and legislative energies of be substantially reduced.