Congressional Record—House H2544
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H2544 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE May 4, 2004 her desires in this regard, but we are worse in my estimation that you let haps we can reestablish some credi- the ones that have to decide this. We down the person who has entrusted bility. If we do not, then I fear that the are the ones that have to exercise the you, entrusted you with the responsi- role that Secretary Rumsfeld has as- oversight. bility for carrying out the executive sumed for himself, namely, chief oper- So I say to you, Mr. Speaker, that policies of this Nation. ating officer of the United States, these are very, very serious allega- It is bad enough that the Congress of without any responsibility to the chief tions. No question about that. I do not the United States was not informed. executive of this Nation, the President come here this evening speaking with But they have the President of the of the United States, or any responsi- any kind of relish or enjoyment of United States left in the dark on some- bility to the Congress of the United what is required of us here. But I can thing that was sure to have incredible States. He gets to decide what we will tell you I was a probation officer in my negative ramifications with respect to do and what we will not do. He gets to life. I have been an officer of the court. Iraq and the position of the United decide whether or not this country is I have had professional responsibilities States is unforgivable. It is intolerable. going to be put into a series of cir- in county jails, in San Quentin Prison. But I know as sure as my own experi- cumstances and situations that are to- I know what it is like to have to con- ence indicates, that it is not possible tally untenable in terms of the values duct drug tests. I know what it is like for the leadership at the levels that I of this Nation or what the goals and as- to appear at a booking desk every have discussed not to have been aware pirations we have with regards to our morning year in and year out. I know that at minimum the possibilities of security interests and the peace of the what is involved in investigations in this disaster was there and needed to world. arrests and prosecutions. be addressed. At a minimum. And I think that we need to have a clear I know what is involved in making worse, that they knew it was going on understanding that unless the Sec- reports on what needs to be done and and tolerated it. retary can answer these questions he how it should be done and what the We need to have a full exposure of ex- has to consider resigning. He has to conducts of officers of the courts are actly who knows what. Not because, consider whether or not we are going with respect to the management and Mr. Speaker, I wanted to have some to have a cleansing of the way in which maintenance of jails and prison sys- kind of a media field day or some kind this war is being conducted, in the tems. of a tabloid extravaganza, but because manner in which it was being reported I have legislative responsibilities the very responsibility of this Congress to us in the Congress and by extension with regard to how prison systems are is at stake. Either we are informed, Mr. to the people of the United States. run and under what circumstances and Speaker, about what the situation is 2320 what is required of the personnel as a and where we are going so that we can b legislator. I have been the chairman of make a decision with regard to over- I appreciate the fact, Mr. Speaker, a committee with responsibility for the sight or we are not. that these are difficult questions, that police departments in Honolulu, the So, Mr. Speaker, in conclusions, I I have only been able to present a sum- Honolulu Police Department, under the want to ask you in your role as Speak- mary of what is at stake here; and I ap- jurisdiction of the committee that I er, to acknowledge the facts that this preciate your patience and was privileged to serve on and chair in is a requirement of the Congress of the forebearance as I have enunciated it. the city and counties of Honolulu. I un- United States, that we exercise over- I do think very, very clearly, Mr. derstand what is at stake in prison sys- sight on behalf of the people of this Na- Speaker, that there this is something tem, and I know this from my own per- tion and the values of this Nation. If that has to be addressed, and I would sonal experience, what is required in a we do not do it, Mr. Speaker, who is hope that the leadership of the House, prison system is, first of all, certainty, going to do it? both majority and minority, will settle certainty. It is apparent that no one wants to on the proper venue, which I personally You must know from the top to the take responsibility in the Department believe to be the Committee on Armed bottom exactly what the rules are. Cer- of Defense. No one wants to take re- Services, but perhaps a joint com- tainty and activity. Those are the two sponsibility in the military at the mittee situation, in which these issues fundamentals. Once you have those es- present time. No one is exploring right are explored; and I hope that the Sec- tablished in a prison system, then you now exactly what the boundaries were retary of Defense will be able to answer know where you stand. Nobody can or were not. No one is examining the adequately what his responsibility and talk to me about failure to train some role of private security corporations in obligation is. National Guard operatives on the jail the intelligence gathering on behalf of f cell level and tell me that they were the United States military and on be- HORSE SLAUGHTERING FOR operating on their own. That does not half of the security interests of this HUMAN CONSUMPTION happen, Mr. Speaker. It does not hap- Nation. No one asked me about it, I pen in the county jail. It does not hap- can assure you on the Committee on The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. pen in a state prison. And it does not Armed Services as to whether I COLE). Under the Speaker’s announced happen in a Federal prison system. Cer- thought that was a good idea. I cannot policy of January 7, 2003, the gen- tainty from top to bottom is required. speak about the Permanent Select tleman from Kentucky (Mr. WHITFIELD) If it does not exist that is failure of Committee on Intelligence, but I am is recognized until midnight, approxi- leadership that has to be accounted for hard pressed to think that the Perma- mately 40 minutes. and responsibility has to be taken. nent Select Committee on Intelligence, Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, the So far as I can see right now, there is Republican or Democrat, this has noth- first Saturday in May is a special day some reprimands being handed out. ing to do with the partisan nature of in the heart of anyone who considers There are some court-martials being any kind of political discussion we themselves to be a Kentuckian. It is held at the lowest possible level. And might be having, but it is difficult for also a special day in the heart of any- yet we have two reports, the Ryder re- me to believe that anybody on the Per- one, whether they live outside of Ken- port and the Taguba report, that I do manent Select Committee on Intel- tucky or not, whether they are a cit- not believe for a moment did not see ligence sanctioned such a thing or that izen of some other country of the the light of day at the general officer there was knowledge of it in the Per- world, but if that person has a special level and at the highest levels of the manent Select Committee on Intel- affinity for a breed of horse called the Department of Defense. ligence or that it would not have been thoroughbred, the first Saturday in If it is true that the President of the shared with the Office of the Speaker May is a special day because it is on United States was not informed by his at a minimum with the leadership of that day that the Kentucky Derby is Secretary of Defense as to what the sit- both sides of the aisle. raced each year. uation was and what was likely to hap- We have to have an understanding of This past Saturday, the 130th run- pen, that is dereliction of duty on the whether our role as overseers of the ning of the Kentucky Derby was held part of the Secretary vis-a-vis the United States strategic interests is in Louisville, Kentucky, and a chest- President of the United States. It is far going to be honored. If we do, then per- nut colt by the name of Smarty Jones VerDate jul 14 2003 03:36 May 05, 2004 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K04MY7.104 H04PT1 May 4, 2004 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2545 won the race this year.