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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 105 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 144 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1998 No. 114 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 9, 1998, at 12 noon. Senate WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1998 (Legislative day of Monday, August 31, 1998) The Senate met at 9:15 a.m., on the SCHEDULE during the lunch hour, and during that expiration of the recess, and was called Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, this meeting I made some comments which, to order by the President pro tempore morning there will be a period of morn- under the terms of the meeting, nor- [Mr. THURMOND]. ing business for up to 15 minutes. Fol- mally remain confidential. Apparently lowing morning business, the Senate they were sufficiently provocative PRAYER will resume consideration of the Texas that, within an hour or so of the meet- ing, my office was besieged with calls The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John Compact conference report, with 40 from reporters who wanted to know if Ogilvie, offered the following prayer: minutes remaining for debate equally divided between Senators SNOWE and I was going to proceed in the manner Dear God, our hearts are often rest- that had been reported to them. Others less. We long to rest in You. We feel an WELLSTONE. At the conclusion of debate time, the of my colleagues were similarly ac- inner emptiness only You can fill, a costed by reporters who wanted to hunger only You can satisfy, a thirst Senate will proceed to a vote on the know what is Senator BENNETT going only You can quench. All our needs are adoption of the conference report. Therefore, the first rollcall vote of to- to do on the issue he raised in the pol- small in comparison to our deepest icy lunch. Rather than try to respond need for You. No human love can fulfill day’s session will occur at approxi- mately 10 a.m. to each of those reporters individually, our yearning for Your grace. No posi- I decided that I would take the floor tion can satisfy our quest for signifi- Following that vote, the Senate will resume consideration of the foreign op- this morning and make a presentation cance. No achievement can substitute of what it was I said at the policy for Your acceptance. Our relationship erations appropriations bill. Rollcall votes are expected throughout Wednes- lunch yesterday, and thereby end any with You is ultimately all that counts. suspense anyone may have. I assure Grant us the sublime delight of Your day’s session as the Senate attempts to complete action on the foreign oper- you, this issue is probably not worth presence. There is no joy greater than the amount of concern that was stirred knowing You, no peace more lasting ations appropriations bill. I thank my colleagues for their at- up yesterday, but I will make it clear than Your Shalom in our souls, no what I said and what I have in mind. power more energizing than Your ena- tention. The issue that was under discussion bling spirit empowering us. This is the f had to do with the behavior of the day You have made for us to enjoy and MORNING BUSINESS to serve You. We intend to live it to President of the United States, as indi- the fullest to glorify You. In the name Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, under cated by his statement to the people of of our Lord and Savior. Amen. the previous order, I understand I am America several weeks ago. I made this to be recognized for 15 minutes in comment. I said that if any Member of this body had engaged in that kind of f morning business. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. That behavior, he or she would be subject to is correct. censure for that behavior, and I singled RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING out three areas in particular which I f MAJORITY LEADER feel would be worthy of censure. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The CENSURING THE PRESIDENT The first: It is now clear that the able acting majority leader, the distin- Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, yes- President of the United States had a guished Senator from Utah, is recog- terday, as is the habit in the Senate, relationship with an intern who was nized. the Republicans met in policy luncheon under his control and in his purview ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S9807 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 00:30 Oct 31, 2013 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\1998SENATE\S02SE8.REC S02SE8 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S9808 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 2, 1998 within the White House, which was im- the-Senate resolution with respect to term where you say the individual is proper, or, in the words of the Presi- the President of the United States. I now able to deal with this issue. dent himself, ‘‘wrong.’’ This was not a pointed out that this should in no way But, aside from the semantic ques- chance encounter. It was not a matter prejudge any impeachment activity tion involved, I do not want to be a of her bringing him a piece of pizza, that might occur in the House of Rep- party to any suggestion that the inves- catching his eye, he catching her eye, resentatives for several reasons. In the tigation of the President’s behavior she smiled at him, he smiled at her, first place, we do not know what is in and the consideration of whether or and something improper happened and Judge Starr’s report that will come to not that behavior constitutes an im- that was the end of it. It was an affair the House of Representatives, and what peachable offense should come to an with sexual activity that began in De- I have described has public circulation, end by virtue of the resolution that I cember of 1995 and continued for 18 indeed confirmation by the President might offer. So, for that first reason, I months, including the period of time himself, and therefore need not depend have concluded that I will not, in fact, after she had left the White House and upon Judge Starr’s report in order for offer this resolution. was no longer in the President’s direct us to act upon it. The second reason I have decided not line of report. And it ended, appar- Second, Judge Starr’s report and the to offer the resolution is because some ently, only because it was discovered action of the House of Representatives have suggested that, since the Senate and reported in the public. If any Mem- will not take place, if such action does would ultimately be the jury that ber of this body had that kind of a rela- occur, until the 106th Congress. I be- would try any accusations with respect tionship with an intern in his office he lieve that something as serious as this to impeachment, I should not, as a would, I think, very appropriately be should be commented on by the 105th Member of the Senate, prejudge the subject to censure from the Ethics Congress. I do not know that I will be case. I can draw a fine line with which Committee and by the Senate as a in the 106th Congress. I hope I will be. I would be comfortable that would say whole. That is the first item. The political signs in my home State that my resolution of censure, saying The second item: When this matter indicate that I will be. But I can take that I found this behavior in the three became public, the President went be- nothing for granted, and I raised with areas I have described to be reprehen- fore the public and insisted in the most my colleagues yesterday the possi- sible, would not prejudge a determina- tion as to whether that behavior con- emphatic possible language that it had bility of having this Congress go on stituted a high crime or misdemeanor not happened. Furthermore, he then record as stating that it found totally under the Constitution, and I would be gathered his Cabinet and his closest unacceptable and subject to condemna- comfortable with that distinction. But aides around him and, in direct per- tion—because the word ‘‘censure’’ is a since there are some who would not be sonal contact with many of them, as- synonym for condemn—the actions of comfortable and who would suggest sured them that the public reports of the President in the three areas I have that by offering the resolution I was this activity were false, and urged described. them to go forward and speak in his be- I pointedly said I do not want to go prejudging the case, I have also, for half repeating that denial. We had beyond those three areas with any res- that second reason, decided that I will members of the President’s Cabinet olution of censure because I do not not offer that resolution. That, I hope, Mr. President, clears come before the Congress and repeat know what is in Ken Starr’s report. I up, if anybody had any concerns about that denial, in effect lying to the Con- do not want to prejudge the issue of what I said yesterday in the policy gress from their position as Cabinet of- whether or not those three items con- luncheon, what I intend to do.

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