CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— Extensions Of

June 29, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1339 (including FISA) on the president’s powers Dubai being awarded a contract to admin- tapping lest Bush’s claimed right to set the during the time that he served in the Ford ister U.S. ports; after all the administra- policies, or his policies themselves, become a White House and as a minority member of a tion’s talk about security, this arrangement precedent for future presidents.’’ Democratic Congress. Despite rumors of a sounded outrageous in the American heart- James Madison wrote in Federalist Paper decline in his standing with Bush, Cheney re- land, and members of Congress rushed to kill No. 47: ‘‘The accumulation of all powers leg- mains the most powerful vice-president in it. But the Republican legislators have also islative, executive and judiciary in the same American history, with an octopus-like become convinced, in the words of one Re- hands, whether of one, a few or many . reach into many parts of the government. He publican senator, ‘‘We’ve got to hang with may justly be pronounced the very definition has placed his own people in each of the na- the president because if you start splitting of tyranny.’’ tional security agencies—the Departments of with him or say the president has been abus- That extraordinary powers have, under Defense and State as well as the CIA and the ing power we’ll all go down.’’ Karl Rove has Bush, been accumulated in the ‘‘same hands’’ National Security Council. (Until she re- recently been arguing along these lines to is now undeniable. For the first time in more cently took a maternity leave, his daughter congressional Republicans. In the end, a Re- than thirty years, and to a greater extent Elizabeth was principal deputy assistant sec- publican lobbyist told me, Republican politi- than even then, our constitutional form of retary of state for the Near East, a position cians feel that Bush is ‘‘still their guy.’’ The government is in jeopardy. that does not require Senate confirmation fierce partisanship on Capitol Hill also f and from which people on Capitol Hill saw blocks serious discussion of the issue of un- her as effectively in charge of the State De- limited executive power: many Republicans TRIBUTE TO LIZ COVENTRY partment’s Middle East bureau.) Cheney in- have concluded that the Democrats are ex- stalled Porter Goss in the CIA, with orders ploiting such issues for partisan purposes HON. SCOTT GARRETT to root out people who leaked information and have dug in against them. On May 11, at OF NEW JERSEY inconvenient to the administration. It’s dif- a regular weekly luncheon of about twenty IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ficult, however, to know much about what conservative senators, Senator Roberts de- Cheney is doing because his office operates nounced criticism of Bush’s surveillance and Thursday, June 29, 2006 in such secrecy that a reporter friend of data-collecting programs as ‘‘dangerous’’ and Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, mine refers to it as a ‘‘black hole.’’ ‘‘insulting’’ to the President and charged the it is with a great sense of pride and with an In Bush, Cheney has had a very receptive Democrats with treating national security listener. Bush’s own overweening attitude as a political issue. Members of Congress overwhelming sense of sadness that I rise toward the presidency is clear from his be- who are protective of their institution and today to pay tribute to the lifelong career of havior. He bristles at being challenged. He capable of looking beyond their parochial public service of Liz Coventry. told Bob Woodward, ‘‘I do not need to ex- concerns—and who might have objected to Liz has been a loyal supporter, advisor, plain why I say things. That’s the inter- Bush’s encroachments on the legislative friend, and confidante for nearly a decade. esting thing about being the president. branch—are largely gone. Throughout my years in the New Jersey State Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why From the time of the vote on the Iraq war, Legislature and my tenure in Congress, Liz they say something, but I don’t feel I owe many Democrats have been reluctant to be has been an integral part of the team that I caught on the ‘‘wrong side’’ of ‘‘national se- anybody an explanation.’’ His comment, depend upon and my constituents look to for ‘‘I’m the decider,’’ about not firing Rums- curity’’ issues, even those blatantly cooked feld, is in fact a phrase he has used often. up by the White House. It usually requires a assistance and guidance. There is no job too Why have the members of Congress been so strong public reaction, as there was on the big for Liz’s breadth of expertise and knowl- timorous in the face of the steady encroach- subject of torture, for Congress to make a edge—she can accomplish any task before ment on their constitutional power by the move against the President’s actions. A Re- her. And, there is no job too small for Liz—she executive branch? Conversations with many publican senator told me, ‘‘There’s a feeling is a true team player, pitching in whenever people in or close to Congress produced sev- on the Hill that the public doesn’t care about she can and wherever she is needed. eral reasons. Most members of Congress it, that it’s willing to give up liberties in In her capacity on my Congressional staff, don’t think in broad constitutional terms; order to defeat the terrorists.’’ Some of the Liz has been a great help to countless con- their chief preoccupations are raising money proposals offered on Capitol Hill for regu- and getting reelected. Their conversations lating the NSA wiretaps amount to little stituents. She truly takes each individual case with their constituents are about the more regulation at all. to heart. No one who sits with Liz at her desk practical issues on voters’ minds: the prices At the center of the current conflict over ever feels like a case number; she gives each of gasoline, prescription drugs, and college the Constitution is a president who sur- person a real personal touch. tuition. Or about voters’ increasing dis- rounds himself with proven loyalists, who is Liz has also been organizing a number of content with the Iraq war. not interested in complexities, and who is special projects for Fifth District residents, Republicans know that the President’s averse to debate and intolerant of dissenters such as the art competition and a veterans deepening unpopularity might hurt them in within his administration and elsewhere. (A history project. Her dedication to the art com- the autumn elections; but, they point out, prominent Washington Republican who had petition is worthy of the art patronage of the he’s still a good fund-raiser and they need raised a lot of money for Bush was dropped his help. Moreover, the Republicans are more from the Christmas party list after he said Medici Family during the Renaissance. She hierarchical than the Democrats, more rev- something mildly critical of the President.) makes everyone of these young artists feel erential toward their own party’s president; A Republican lobbyist close to the White like Michelangelo or DaVinci. And, her com- it’s unimaginable that Republicans would be House described to me what he called the mitment to the veterans history project is un- as openly critical of Bush as the Democrats Cult of Bush: ‘‘This group is all about loy- paralleled. She is a one-woman USO, making were of Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Re- alty and the definition of loyalty extends to every veteran she speaks with feel like the publicans are more disciplined about deliv- policy-making, politics, and to the execution marines at Iwo Jima. ering their party’s ‘‘talking points’’ to the of policy—and to the regulatory agencies.’’ Liz has recently decided to take a well-de- public. Republican fund-raising is done more The result, this man said, is that the people served retirement after years in selfless public from the top than is the case with Demo- in the agencies, including the regulatory service. I know that my whole staff, my con- crats, and there’s always the implicit threat agencies, ‘‘become robotrons and just do that if a Republican isn’t loyal to the presi- what they’re told. There’s no dialogue.’’ stituents, and I will miss her dearly, but we dent, the flow of money to their campaigns The President’s recent political weakness wish her the very best as she takes this grand might be cut off. A Republican opponent can hasn’t caused the White House to back away step. challenge an incumbent in a primary, in from its claims of extraordinary presidential f which not many people vote. Here Arlen power. The Republican lobbyist Vin Weber Specter has shown unusual courage. He bare- says, ‘‘I think they’re keenly aware of the PAYING TRIBUTE TO RUEDY ly survived a conservative challenge in the fact that they’re politically weakened, but EDGINGTON primary election in 2004 (though Bush sup- that’s not the same thing as the institution ported him), and then had to beat back a of the presidency being damaged.’’ People HON. JON C. PORTER with very disparate political views, such as conservative attempt to remove him as OF NEVADA chairman of the Senate Judiciary Com- Grover Norquist and Dianne Feinstein, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES mittee because of his views in favor of abor- worry about the long-term implications of tion rights.

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