June 18, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3097 good work of a committee working to- the men and women who get up every tionale: although the Constitution gether to move those pieces of legisla- morning or stay out late every evening gives the President the authority to tion through the committee process. It to protect and defend, that we are manage executive branch personnel, is not perfect, in my view, but I knew there with them and for them as they Congress has made it clear by law that these were good policies that many serve us. should the President fire an inspector Members across both sides of the aisle I am asking for us to come into our general, there ought to be a good rea- wanted to place a priority on. work next week with open hearts and son for it. No such reason was provided Let’s figure out how we can make open minds, having listened well. If we when the President informed Congress something like that happen. I am do that, I can only suspect that the of the removal of Mr. Atkinson on proud of the fact that we can move outcome will be good. April 3, 2020. Thus, in a bipartisan let- good initiatives through this com- I yield the floor. ter on April 8, 2020, my colleagues and mittee. I suggest the absence of a quorum. I reminded the President of his require- I will just remind you we have an- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ment under the statute to provide rea- other good initiative that we are ready clerk will call the roll. sons for removing an IG. On May 15, The bill clerk proceeded to call the to go on. 2020, the President notified Congress of roll. his intent to remove Mr. Linick. This f Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I notification also lacked reasons for the THE JUSTICE ACT ask unanimous consent that the order removal spurring my solo letter on Mrs. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without May 18, 2020, again reminding the want to end my few moments on the objection, it is so ordered. President of his requirement to provide floor with an acknowledgement of reasons. where we are going to be next week. It f After a delay, and a personal call has been made clear that we are going NOMINATION OBJECTION with the White House Counsel, I was to have an opportunity to bring up for WITHDRAWAL promised a response to my letters that discussion legislation that has been Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I pre- would fulfill the statutory notice re- drafted by Senator TIM SCOTT from viously notified the Chamber of my ob- quirement. On May 26, 2020, I received South Carolina, along with a group of jection to the nominations of Marshall a response from the White House Coun- fellow colleagues over here, focused on Billingslea, of Virginia, to be Under sel explaining the President’s Constitu- matters relating to policing reforms. Secretary of State for Arms Control tional removal authority, which I My hope—it is more than a hope; it is and International Security and Chris- never questioned. However, the letter really a prayer. My prayer is that we topher C. Miller, of Virginia, to be Di- still contained no reason for the re- will come to this floor next week as rector of the National Counterter- movals as required by law. This failure colleagues and as individuals who want rorism Center, Office of the Director of to comply with the statute prompted to bring to bear good policy for a coun- National Intelligence. On June 12, 2020, my objection to both Mr. Miller and try at a time that is so desperate for I received two letters: one from the De- Mr. Billingslea on June 4, 2020. leadership that is responsive, leader- partment of State, which contained a On June 6, 2020, I asked the White ship that has demonstrated a willing- copy of recent correspondence between House to provide written reasons for ness to listen to the raw emotion of the administration to the Council of the removals. We discussed several what we have seen expressed across the Inspectors General on Integrity issues. I took this opportunity to talk this country in the few weeks since the and Efficiency, CIGIE, requesting that to the White House and I told them terrible death and killing of George CIGIE investigate specific allegations that I needed reasons for the firing of Floyd but recognizing that it is far into the conduct of the State Depart- IGs to be submitted in writing. more than the horrible death of one in- ment Inspector General, State IG, On June 12, 2020, I received the en- dividual. It is a history that in many Steve Linick, and another separate let- closed letter from the State Depart- parts of our country is raw and open ter from the White House Counsel con- ment which finally fulfills the execu- and needs to be addressed. cerning the removal of Intelligence tive branch’s legal requirement to pro- My prayer is that we can come to Community Inspector General, IC IG, vide Congress reasons for an IG’s re- this floor not here to debate through a Michael Atkinson. Without making moval with regard to Mr. Linick. partisan lens but here to debate those comment regarding the veracity of the Here is my view on the firing of Mr. issues that are so important and so im- allegations made against Mr. Linick, I Linick. The State Department’s cor- perative for the American public to believe that these letters fulfill the respondence with CIGIE provided four hear; that the response is not a Repub- President’s requirement to provide reasons for Mr. Linick’s removal, all lican effort versus a Democratic effort, Congress reasons for the removal of the involving the investigation of the leak but that these are matters that we IC IG and the State IG, as required by of information to a news reporter per- must address, whether it is how we en- the Inspector General Reform Act. It is taining to an IG report, which the re- sure that there is full and fair account- for this reason that I withdraw my ob- porter claims to be based on informa- ability, whether it relates to safe polic- jection to both Mr. Billingslea and Mr. tion garnered from ‘‘two government ing practices, whether it is how we ad- Miller. sources involved in carrying out the in- dress the concerns with modern polic- The letter from the White House vestigation. The letter to CIGIE re- ing when there are issues before our Counsel regarding the removal of the quests that they begin an investigation law enforcement officers that span the IC IG repeats a previous letter from the into Mr. Linick’s alleged trans- scope of how we address mental health White House which stated that the gressions, including his: 1) ‘‘failure to issues—those with addictions—and how President had lost confidence in the IC formally refer to CIGIE . . . the inves- we respond from a broader view and IG. However, the White House Counsel tigation of [the] leak’’; 2) ‘‘hand selec- lens but do so with our hearts rather enclosed with that letter a transcript tion’’ of the Department of Defense than trying to project through our po- of President Trump providing his rea- OIG to conduct the leak investigation; litical alignment. sons for removing Mr. Atkinson to the 3) ‘‘non-compliance with State Depart- I even hesitate to say because some press and has informed me that those ment Office of Inspector General (OIG) would ask: Well, exactly what do you reasons represent the President’s offi- email policies’’; and 4) refusal to sup- mean by that? cial explanation of Mr. Atkinson’s re- ply Department of State leadership I guess what I am asking for us to do moval to Congress. I believe that this with a copy or summary of the leak in- is to come here and debate honestly transcript and its transmittal to Con- vestigation report despite ‘‘repeated re- about where we are as a nation, and gress has fulfilled the statutory notice quests’’ from State Department leader- that comes to ensuring that when we requirement of the Inspector General ship. These claims are as of yet speak of justice, that we speak of jus- Reform Act. It is for this reason that I unverified but the President has of- tice for all in a way that is inclusive, withdraw my objection to Mr. Miller. fered an additional briefing on the that is fair, that is equal, and that is Here follow my comments to the matter from State Department offi- compassionate; that we recognize that President, including my actions and ra- cials. I am in the process of scheduling

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