S924 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 1, 2021 unanimous consent that the rules of in the subcommittee and shall not be count- IMPEACHMENT procedure of the Committee on Appro- ed for purposes of determining a quorum. Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, just priations for the 117th Congress be f barely a year ago, I was here making a printed in the RECORD. similar statement. Impeachment is one There being no objection, the mate- TRIBUTE TO CHRISTINA NOLAN of the most solemn matters to come rial was ordered to be printed in the Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I would before the Senate, but I worry that it’s RECORD, as follows: like to pay tribute to a great also becoming a common occurrence. SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Before getting into the merits of this Vermonter, Christina Nolan, a most COMMITTEE RULES—117TH CONGRESS impeachment, it is important to reit- dedicated public servant who has I. MEETINGS erate that January 6 was a sad and served as U.S. attorney for the District tragic day for America. I hope we can The Committee will meet at the call of the of Vermont since November 2017. She Chairman. all agree about that. will be resigning her post at the end of What happened here at the Capitol II. QUORUMS this month, 11 years since she first 1. Reporting a bill. A majority of the mem- was completely inexcusable. It was not joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office, but a demonstration of any of our pro- bers must be present for the reporting of a her work and the strong partnerships bill. tected, inalienable rights. It was a di- 2. Other business. For the purpose of she forged will carry on for many years rect, violent attack on our seat of gov- transacting business other than reporting a to come. ernment. Those who plowed over police bill or taking testimony, one-third of the A profile of Christina recently ap- barricades, assaulted law enforcement, members of the Committee shall constitute peared in Vermont Business Magazine and desecrated our monument to rep- a quorum. under the headline ‘‘A Born Advocate resentative democracy flouted the rule 3. Taking testimony. For the purpose of for Justice.’’ And she has been just of law and disgraced our Nation. Six taking testimony, other than sworn testi- that. During her tenure, Christina mony, by the Committee or any sub- people, including two U.S. Capitol Po- committee, one member of the Committee or worked to stem the deadly surge of lice officers, now lie dead in the wake subcommittee shall constitute a quorum. heroin and fentanyl in our small State, of this assault. The perpetrators must For the purpose of taking sworn testimony and she has joined with Federal part- be brought to justice, and I am glad to by the Committee, three members shall con- ners to slow the illegal trafficking of see that many such cases are pro- stitute a quorum, and for the taking of firearms. She has also used her voice to gressing around the country. sworn testimony by any subcommittee, one shine a spotlight on domestic violence While the ultimate responsibility for member shall constitute a quorum. and human trafficking, not only pros- this attack rests upon the shoulders of III. PROXIES ecuting critical cases but also high- those who unlawfully entered the Cap- Except for the reporting of a bill, votes lighting the plight of victims who are itol, everyone involved must take re- may be cast by proxy when any member so caught in the path of such heinous sponsibility for their destructive ac- requests. crimes. Her personal approach to each tions that day, including the former IV. ATTENDANCE OF STAFF MEMBERS AT CLOSED and every case, signing off on every President. As the leader of the Nation, SESSIONS charging document in the office, as all Presidents bear some responsibility Attendance of staff members at closed ses- well as her commitment to victims and for the actions that they inspire—good sions of the Committee shall be limited to her dedication to upholding the rule of or bad. Undoubtedly, then-President those members of the Committee staff who law are evident to anyone who has wit- Trump displayed poor leadership in his have a responsibility associated with the nessed her work and her work ethic. words and actions. I do not defend matter being considered at such meeting. those actions and my vote should not This rule may be waived by unanimous con- While Vermont’s U.S. Attorney’s Of- sent. fice is among the smallest in the coun- be read as a defense of those actions. try, it is fair to say that under I am a member of a Court of Im- V. BROADCASTING AND PHOTOGRAPHING OF peachment. My job is to vote on the COMMITTEE HEARINGS Christina’s leadership, the team has punched well above their weight. In case brought by the House managers. I The Committee or any of its subcommit- took an oath to render judgment on tees may permit the photographing and one instance, her office set out to in- the Article of Impeachment sent to the broadcast of open hearings by television vestigate kickbacks and fraudulent and/or radio. However, if any member of a billing practices involving the elec- Senate by the House of Representa- subcommittee objects to the photographing tronic health records industry, unrav- tives. We are confined to considering only the Articles charged and the facts or broadcasting of an open hearing, the ques- eling a scheme that resulted in an $8 tion shall be referred to the full Committee presented. billion national settlement with for its decision. First and foremost, I don’t think this Perdue Pharma, which admitted to VI. AVAILABILITY OF SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS impeachment is proper under the Con- needlessly and shamelessly promoting stitution. This is the first time the To the extent possible, when the bill and the prescribed use of OxyContin, a report of any subcommittee are available, Senate has tried a former President. highly addictive opioid. they shall be furnished to each member of Whether or not it can do so is a dif- the Committee thirty-six hours prior to the During her time as U.S. attorney, ficult question. The Constitution Committee’s consideration of said bill and Christina has forged strong relation- doesn’t say in black and white ‘‘Yes, report. ships with her partners in Federal, the Senate can try a former President’’ VII. AMENDMENTS AND REPORT LANGUAGE State and local law enforcement cir- or ‘‘No, it can’t.’’ In contrast, many To the extent possible, amendments and cles, many of whom have shared with State constitutions at the time of the report language intended to be proposed by me how much they appreciated her en- founding specified that their legisla- Senators at full Committee markups shall be gagement. In the courtroom, col- tures could, so it’s notable that our provided in writing to the Chairman and leagues on both sides of the bench have Federal charter did not. In order to an- Ranking Minority Member and the appro- lauded her fairness. A Federal judge, priate Subcommittee Chairman and Ranking swer this question it’s therefore nec- interviewed for the aforementioned essary to look at the text, structure, Minority Member twenty-four hours prior to magazine profile, spoke of her ‘‘quiet such markups. and history of the Constitution. That’s confidence’’ and her ‘‘natural court- VIII. POINTS OF ORDER what I have done. In the end, I do not room presence: graceful and com- think we have the ability to try a Any member of the Committee who is floor manding.’’ former President. manager of an appropriations bill is hereby I am proud to have worked with Gov. authorized to make points of order against I start always with the Constitution, any amendment offered in violation of the Phil Scott to recommend Christina which gives Congress the power of im- Senate Rules on the floor of the Senate to Nolan for the position of U.S. attorney peachment. As I mentioned, impeach- such appropriations bill. back in 2017. She has served ment was a feature in many State con- IX. EX OFFICIO MEMBERSHIP Vermonters very well during her ten- stitutions at the time, and it came The Chairman and Ranking Minority Mem- ure. Marcelle and I wish Christina and from a power enjoyed by the English ber of the full Committee are ex officio mem- her longtime partner, Jill, and their Parliament. bers of all subcommittees of which they are family our very best in future endeav- Impeachment in England was a pow- not regular members but shall have no vote ors. erful tool whereby Parliament could VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:58 Mar 02, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A01MR6.006 S01MRPT1 ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE March 1, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S925 hold individuals accountable for ac- The House managers tried to prove week before the election. He, like any tions against the government without that President Trump incited an insur- politician, is entitled to seek redress in having to rely on the King to enforce rection. That is a difficult argument to the courts to resolve election disputes. it. It applied not just to sitting govern- make. There were many other Articles President Trump did just that, and ment officials but also to former gov- over which they could have impeached there’s nothing wrong with it. I sup- ernment officials and even to private President Trump, but this is what the ported the exercise of this right in the individuals.