Congressional Record—House H3646
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H3646 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE May 21, 1998 I ask my colleagues to oppose this resolu- Paxon Sanford Stump Messrs. PASCRELL, ABER- Pease Saxton Sununu tion, in order to send a clear message to the Peterson (MN) Scarborough Talent CROMBIE, and STRICKLAND changed American people that we understand and re- Peterson (PA) Schaefer, Dan Tauzin their vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.'' spect the role of the legislature in our demo- Petri Schaffer, Bob Taylor (MS) So the resolution was agreed to. cratic system. Pickering Sensenbrenner Taylor (NC) The result of the vote was announced Pitts Sessions Thomas Mr. DELAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield Pombo Shadegg Thornberry as above recorded. back the balance of my time. Porter Shaw Thune A motion to reconsider was laid on The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time Portman Shays Tiahrt the table. Price (NC) Sherman Traficant for debate has expired. Pryce (OH) Shimkus Turner f The resolution is considered read for Quinn Shuster Upton MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT amendment. Radanovich Sisisky Walsh Pursuant to House Resolution 436, Ramstad Skeen Wamp A message in writing from the Presi- Redmond Smith (MI) Watkins the previous question is ordered. Regula Smith (NJ) Watts (OK) dent of the United States was commu- The question is on the resolution. Riggs Smith (OR) Weldon (FL) nicated to the House by Mr. Sherman, The question was taken; and the Riley Smith (TX) Weldon (PA) one of his secretaries. Roemer Smith, Linda Weller f Speaker pro tempore announced that Rogan Snowbarger White the ayes appeared to have it. Rogers Solomon Whitfield CALLING UPON PRESIDENT TO Rohrabacher Souder Wicker Mr. DELAY. Mr. Speaker, I object to URGE FULL COOPERATION WITH the vote on the ground that a quorum Ros-Lehtinen Spence Wolf Roukema Stabenow Young (AK) CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGA- is not present and make the point of Royce Stearns Young (FL) TIONS order that a quorum is not present. Ryun Stenholm The SPEAKER pro tempore. Evi- Salmon Strickland Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, pursuant dently a quorum is not present. NAYSÐ157 to House Resolution 436, I call up the resolution (H. Res. 433) calling upon The Sergeant at Arms will notify ab- Ackerman Gordon Neal sent Members. Allen Hall (OH) Oberstar the President of the United States to The vote was taken by electronic de- Andrews Hastings (FL) Olver urge full cooperation by his former po- Baldacci Hefner Ortiz litical appointees and friends and their vice, and there wereÐyeas 259, nays Becerra Hilliard Owens 157, answered ``present'' 6, not voting Bentsen Hinchey Pallone associates with congressional inves- 11, as follows: Bishop Hinojosa Pastor tigations, and ask for its immediate Blagojevich Hooley Payne consideration. [Roll No. 176] Blumenauer Houghton Pelosi The Clerk read the title of the resolu- YEASÐ259 Bonior Hoyer Pickett Borski Jackson (IL) Pomeroy tion. Abercrombie Dickey Jenkins Boucher Jackson-Lee Poshard The text of House Resolution 433 is as Aderholt Doolittle John Boyd (TX) Rahall Archer Dreier follows: Johnson (CT) Brady (PA) Jefferson Rangel Armey Duncan Johnson, Sam Brown (CA) Johnson, E.B. Reyes Whereas approximately 90 witnesses in the Bachus Dunn Jones Brown (FL) Kanjorski Rodriguez campaign finance investigation have either Baesler Ehlers Kasich Brown (OH) Kennedy (MA) Rothman asserted a fifth amendment privilege or fled Baker Ehrlich Kelly Capps Kennedy (RI) Roybal-Allard Ballenger Emerson the country to avoid testifying in congres- Kildee Cardin Kennelly Rush Barcia English sional investigations; Kim Carson Kilpatrick Sabo Barr Ensign Whereas prominent among those who have King (NY) Clay Kleczka Sanchez Barrett (NE) Etheridge Kingston Clayton Klink Sanders asserted the fifth amendment privilege or Bartlett Evans Klug Clement Kucinich Sandlin fled the country to avoid testifying are Barton Everett Knollenberg Clyburn LaFalce Sawyer former political appointees and friends of the Bass Ewing Kolbe Conyers Lampson Scott President of the United States, such as Bereuter Fawell LaHood Costello Lantos Serrano Berry Foley former Associate Attorney General Webster Largent Coyne Lee Skaggs Bilbray Forbes Hubbell; former Department of Commerce Latham Cummings Levin Skelton Bilirakis Fossella political appointee John Huang; former Pres- LaTourette Davis (FL) Lewis (GA) Slaughter Bliley Fowler Lazio Davis (IL) Lofgren Smith, Adam idential trade commission appointee Charlie Blunt Fox Leach DeFazio Lowey Snyder Trie; former senior Presidential aide Mark Boehlert Franks (NJ) Lewis (CA) DeGette Luther Spratt Middleton; longtime Presidential friends Boehner Frelinghuysen Lewis (KY) Delahunt Maloney (NY) Stark James and Mochtar Riady, as well as family, Bonilla Gallegly Linder DeLauro Manton Stokes Bono Ganske friends, and associates of some of these indi- Lipinski Deutsch Markey Stupak Boswell Gekas viduals; Livingston Dicks Martinez Tanner Brady (TX) Gibbons Whereas when the Director of the Federal LoBiondo Dingell Mascara Tauscher Bryant Gilchrest Lucas Dixon Matsui Thompson Bureau of Investigation Louis Freeh testified Bunning Gillmor Maloney (CT) Doggett McCarthy (MO) Thurman before the House Government Reform and Burr Gilman Manzullo Dooley McGovern Tierney Oversight Committee on December 9, 1997, he Burton Goode McCarthy (NY) Doyle McNulty Towns had the following exchange with the Chair- Buyer Goodlatte McCollum Edwards Meehan Velazquez Callahan Goodling man of the Committee: McCrery Engel Meek (FL) Vento Calvert Goss Mr. Burton: Mr. Freeh, over 65 (at that McDade Eshoo Menendez Visclosky Camp Graham time) people have invoked the Fifth Amend- McHale Fattah Millender- Waters Campbell Granger McHugh Fazio McDonald Watt (NC) ment or fled the country in the course of the Canady Green McInnis Filner Miller (CA) Waxman committee's investigation. Have you ever ex- Cannon Greenwood McIntosh Ford Minge Wexler perienced so many unavailable witnesses in Castle Gutknecht McIntyre Frank (MA) Moakley Weygand any matter in which you have prosecuted or Chabot Hall (TX) McKeon Frost Mollohan Wise Chambliss Hamilton in which you have been involved? McKinney Furse Moran (VA) Woolsey Chenoweth Hansen Mr. Freeh: Actually, I have. Metcalf Gejdenson Murtha Wynn Christensen Hastert Mr. Burton: You have. Give me a run-down Mica Gephardt Nadler Yates Coble Hastings (WA) Miller (FL) on that real quickly. Coburn Hayworth Mink ANSWERED ``PRESENT''Ð6 Mr. Freeh: I spent about 16 years doing or- Collins Hefley Moran (KS) Barrett (WI) Johnson (WI) Obey ganized crime cases in New York City, and Combest Herger Morella Berman Kind (WI) Rivers many people were frequently unavailable. Condit Hill Myrick Whereas never in the recent history of con- Cook Hilleary Nethercutt NOT VOTINGÐ11 Cooksey Hobson Neumann gressional investigations has Congress been Cox Hoekstra Ney Bateman Gutierrez Meeks (NY) faced with so many witnesses who have as- Cramer Holden Northup Crapo Harman Schumer serted fifth amendment privileges or fled the Crane Horn Norwood Farr Kaptur Torres country to avoid testifying in a congres- Gonzalez McDermott Cubin Hostettler Nussle sional investigation; and Cunningham Hulshof Oxley Whereas the unavailability of witnesses Danner Hunter Packard b 1318 has severely limited the public's right to Davis (VA) Hutchinson Pappas Mr. CUMMINGS, and Mr. DAVIS of Deal Hyde Parker know about campaign finance violations DeLay Inglis Pascrell Florida changed their vote from ``yea'' which occurred over the past several years Diaz-Balart Istook Paul to ``nay.'' and related matters: Now, therefore, be it May 21, 1998 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE H3647 Resolved, ThatÐ clean, present yourself, tell the truth, Members all know who he is, and his (1) the House of Representatives urges the be open, release the documents, their connections to the President and sen- President of the United States to imme- response is, the system is corrupt. And ior members of his administration, we diately call upon his friends, former associ- before we ask any of these questions have faced nothing but contempt for le- ates and appointees, and the associates of those individuals, who have asserted fifth regarding who in the White House may gitimate congressional oversight which amendment privileges or fled the country to or may not have violated the laws of is our constitutional authority, duty in avoid testifying in congressional investiga- the United States in their own short- this Congress. tions, to come forward and testify fully and sighted self-interest, what we hear All told, I have written over 50 let- truthfully before the relevant committees of from the other side is that it is we who ters and made dozens of inquiries to Congress; and are being irresponsible because we are over 8 departments, as chairman of the (2) that the President of the United States not changing the system. Committee on Rules that has legisla- should use all legal means at his disposal to Let me say once more, the Nation tion pending before it on this matter, compel people who have left the country to will not forgive a Congress that be- return and cooperate with the investigation. and agencies of the Clinton administra- lieves that it is correct to change the tion, including the President himself The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. rules and laws of finance, campaign fi- numerous times, trying to get the LATOURETTE). Pursuant to House Reso- nance, rather than to first discern who truth out. lution 436, the gentleman from Texas is or who is not obeying the law and b (Mr. ARMEY) and a Member opposed, bring to account those who do not obey 1330 each will control 30 minutes. the law. It does not take a great deal of For just one example, in my very The Chair recognizes the gentleman understanding to know that matters of first letter, on October 21, 1996, coming from Texas (Mr. ARMEY). personal compliance, personal integ- up to 2 years now, I asked for all infor- Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield rity, honesty and respect for the law mation from Secretary Kantor, do my myself such time as I may consume. are, in the longer run, more important colleagues remember him, Secretary This is just a simple and sincere reso- than the law itself.