May 1, 2001 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4091 In addition, education savings ac- let to write on, because the child comes She extended to this Senator certain counts will be increased to $5,000 and to school without the proper school courtesies I shall not forget, enabling expanded from K through 12, not just supplies. Many times, the child’s fam- me to have that as my third com- college anymore. ily doesn’t have the money for the mittee. I thank the Senator. We also include additional dollars for school supplies. The teacher digs in her f States to use to control violence and pocket and puts the money out and MORNING BUSINESS other crimes in schools because there buys the supplies for the kids. That is no doubt that in our country, if chil- teacher does it because that teacher is Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask dren are not safe and secure in their dedicated. But we want to help defray unanimous consent there now be a pe- schools, they are not going to have the those out-of-pocket costs. We want to riod of morning business with Senators optimum learning environment. No give those young people the oppor- permitted to speak up to 10 minutes doubt about it, they must have secure tunity to have everything they need each. schools and drug-free schools. but not at the personal expense of the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Parents will be given a greater flexi- teachers. We don’t pay teachers enough objection, it is so ordered. bility for their child’s best interest. for the work they do anyway. The last f School districts will be given greater thing we should expect is for them to BOB KERREY, DISTINGUISHED flexibility. This will be accomplished defray the cost of their young people’s OFFICER by decreasing administrative costs and school supplies out of their own pock- Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ad- paperwork. When I do townhall meet- etbooks. dress the Senate with regard to Sen- ings in my State, teachers come in and Mr. President, as I close today, I ator Bob Kerrey. I do this out of, first, say: Get rid of the paperwork. Let me want to say that there is nothing more a sense of duty. I was Under Secretary teach. Let me spend my time with the important that we will do in this ses- of the Navy beginning in February 1969, students finding out what they need sion of Congress than to reform public together with our most beloved and and helping them learn. education, to make sure that public distinguished former colleague who sat One teacher came to a townhall education gives every child the oppor- behind me many years, Senator Chafee, meeting that I had with a stack of pa- tunity to reach his or her full poten- who was the Secretary. Senator Chafee pers this big and said that is what she tial. Yes, we think private schools are and I, then Secretary of the Navy and had been working on all week. Instead great and, yes, parochial schools are Under Secretary WARNER, were a very of being in the classroom or counseling great, and they are a part of the option close working team. I have searched children after class, she was filling out that a parent might have. But what we my mind many times as to what he forms this thick. That is not what is are responsible for is to make sure that would say were he here today. I think going to improve public education. It is every child has access to a public edu- I can safely represent to the Senate the attention a teacher can give to cation that is quality and that com- that my remarks today would be very children, to assess what their weak- petes with any other school in the close to, if not exactly, what my dear nesses are and bring them up to speed. world. That is what will keep our de- friend, our former Senator and former We are going to provide technology mocracy strong, and that is what will Secretary of the Navy, would have said assistance, and math and science in- fulfill our responsibility as Members of about our colleague, Bob Kerrey, this struction will be reemphasized, as well the U.S. Senate. distinguished officer of the U.S. Navy. as basic literacy. Partnerships between I can’t wait to get to this bill because I came to know him in the many schools and higher education institu- I have some amendments I want to years we served together in the Senate. tions will be encouraged, and new Fed- offer that would provide creativity for We often sat together on the floor. I re- eral initiatives such as Reading First K our school districts, that would try to member distinctly going over to his through 12, and Early Reading First encourage more people to come into side of the aisle. We reflected on those Preschool will offer States incentives the classroom with expertise in an days together of Vietnam. He shared to implement rigorous literacy edu- area—maybe not a teaching degree but with me some very personal insights cation. someone with an expertise. I want to with regard to that conflict and how We have solved a problem in my offer single-sex school classes in public they affected his life. home State of Texas. The University of schools as another option, which is now I am also very respectful of Senators North Texas has an accelerated math available in private schools but not in MCCAIN, CLELAND, HAGEL, and JOHN course for high school math prodigies, public schools to any great degree. I KERRY. I have, likewise, had the ben- so that high school students with math am going to talk about those amend- efit of listening to them and sharing aptitude can go to the University of ments later. with them my recollections of that in- North Texas and take college courses I want to get on to this bill so that credible period of American history. I and get their high school degree with we can pass these reforms and so that served in the Pentagon beginning in accelerated capabilities to go into col- the next school year that starts in Sep- February 1969, leaving in 1974, for 5 lege. This is so that you don’t hold tember will be a school year that is dif- years plus a few months during some of back the students who are already be- ferent from the past 25 years and will the most intense periods of that con- yond high school competency. You give have more options and more creativity flict. I visited Vietnam on occasions, as the child a chance to grow at his or her and more capabilities for the young did Secretary of the Navy Chafee, and level and competency capability. It is people of our country to excel. then when I became Secretary of the quite exciting. I would love to see that I thank the Chair. I yield the floor. Navy, succeeding Chafee, of course, my happen all over our country, where an Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I join visits continued. I have been on the fire innovative, higher education institu- my colleague in entreating to get this bases, in the hospitals, where the tion would offer programs for high bill moving. I am proud to serve on the wounded were brought back. school students. I hope we will be able committee. It is badly needed. I remember one story, the former to encourage that by passing the bill Mrs. HUTCHISON. I respond to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen- that is before us. Senator from Virginia and mention eral Krulak, came to see me just before We are also going to try to help that he, as a very senior member of the his confirmation to review various pro- teachers help themselves. They deserve Senate, asked to go on the Education cedural matters with regard to his con- recognition and assistance. The Presi- Committee because of his interest in firmation. We were there with General dent’s plan will allow teachers to make improving our public schools. I appre- Mundy. He was then Commandant of tax deductions of up to $400 to help de- ciate he made that a priority. His con- the Marine Corps. We spent an hour to- fray costs associated with out-of-pock- tribution is very much one that has gether in a very thorough analysis of et classroom expenses. I don’t know a helped this process this year. his background. I was doing it on be- teacher that doesn’t spend money from Mr. WARNER. If I may say to my half of then-Chairman STROM THUR- his or her own pocket to try to help the colleague, at the time our conference MOND. General Krulak got up to leave. child get the tools the child needs in was allocating that last seat, I knew of This is a moment I shall never forget class, the crayons, or a ruler, or a tab- the interest of the Senator from Texas. in my career as a Senator.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 03:00 Dec 20, 2013 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 J:\ODA425\1997-2008-FILES-4-SS-PROJECT\2001-SENATE-REC-FILES\RECFILES-NEW\S mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S4092 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 1, 2001 He said: Senator WARNER, this is not would be so cooperative if questions were been court-martialed. This distinction was the first time we met. I was a little asked about Communist killings in places basic to our policy in Vietnam, and it seems taken aback. I was thinking, where had such as My Loc. to have been lost by many over the past In April 1969, the Marine rifle company to week. The body language and word choices of I met this fine officer? I had known his which I was assigned was operating in the An many media commentators indicates clearly father. He said: I was wounded in Viet- Hoa Basin of Vietnam, west and south of that a larger issue—how history will judge nam, and I was in the process of being Danang. In addition to our routine of long- our involvement in Vietman—is still very evacuated. I was on a stretcher with range combat patrols and defensive positions much in play, and a big part of that issue is other men who had just been wounded, along a vital and heavily contested road, it to continue to demean the American sac- and the helicopter was coming in to was decided that we would provide security rifices in that war. take us out. Someone came up and for a ‘‘town meeting’’ hosted by the South Words like ‘‘atrocity’’ and ‘‘massacre’’ are grabbed me by the big toe and shook Vietnamese government’s district chief, who routinely being thrown about, with some had been criticized for living in the distant even calling for Nuremberg-like trials for that toe. He said to me: Captain, you and more secure confines of Danang. Over Americans’ war crimes in Vietnam. Aggres- are going to be all right; you are going the space of a few days, visits were made to sive reporters have played ‘‘gotcha’’ with to make it. He said: I am here today to nearby hamlets, where 30 delegates were cho- every Kerrey statement. How could he say it say, I made it, and you were that gen- sen to attend the meeting. After that, the was a moonless night when the charts say it tleman, as Secretary of the Navy, who district chief and his senior aide were was a half-moon? (Try clouds. Or canopy. Or grabbed me by the toe. brought in on the morning convoy. vegetation.) Did he take one shot or many I had no recollection because I vis- A thatch-covered ‘‘hooch’’ at the bottom of shots at the first outpost? Did he kneel on a ited with so many wounded and injured our perimeter, about the size of a typical guy when his throat was getting cut? American living room, was chosen as the For many who went through extensive in that period on my visits to Vietnam. meeting place. Shortly after the meeting combat in Vietnam, such parsing brings back But it is a personal recollection of that began, a Viet Cong assassination team raced an anger caused by memories not of the war period that I shared with another dis- through the thick foliage, hit the hooch, and but of the condescending arrogance directed tinguished combat veteran who did a fled. My rifle platoon was returning from a at them upon their return, principally by wonderful job as Commandant. combat patrol as explosions rang out to our people in their own age group who had risked Bob Kerrey and I traveled together, I front. In seconds a Viet Cong soldier sprint- nothing and yet microscopically judged remember so well, on a trip to Bosnia. ing down the trail collided with my point every action of those who had risked every- We were coming into that zone where man. I can still see his young face, thing and often lost a great deal. Combat in adrenalized and madly grinning, as he was a guerrilla war requires constant moral judg- the war had just passed through not captured. And I remember the sight of the ments, in an environment with unending more than a day, if even as much as a others as we reached the hooch. pressure, little sheep, and no second chances day. Homes were burning. The ord- The floor inside was covered with an ankle- for yourself or the people you are leading nance was clearly visible, and the es- deep mix of blood, innards, limbs and bodies. when you guess wrong. Were we perfect? No. cort officers we had were somewhat I and several others waded into the human Were we worse than Americans in other concerned. I remember Kerrey fear- mire, emptying bodies from the hooch and wars, or our enemy in this one? Hardly. lessly walking through areas. I was finding medical care for those who had sur- Which brings us to the recent attention vived. Nineteen people were dead, including given the Kerrey patrol. There is much in there by his side. We visited with a the district chief and his aide. The aide’s the New York Times magazine story to make number of detainees who had been cap- right arm was blown off near the elbow, its one uneasy. They key ‘‘witness’’ from the tured. You learn about an individual tendons like slim white feathers, as if he had village where the incident took place is the when you do a trip such as that. I be- been reaching to catch a grenade. wife of a former Viet Cong soldier, who now came very close to him. We bonded to- Nearby an older woman sat motionless has told Time magazine that she did not ac- gether in many respects on that trip to against a wall, her face stunned and her dark tually see the killings. She and the other Vi- that war zone on that particular day, eyes piercing, untouched except for a small, etnamese witness, who was 12 at the time of the several days we were together. square hole in her forehead. I thought she the incident, live in a communist state was alive until I grabbed her arm. The I reposed unquestioned confidence in where propaganda regarding America’s wounded squirmed on the floor, reaching ‘‘evil’’ war efforts is one of the mainsprings his judgment, his honesty, and his in- past dead bodies as they crawled in the of political legitimacy—not the best condi- tegrity, being his boss in 1969, as Under muck, covered thickly with blood and twist- tions to produce honesty in cases with inter- Secretary of the Navy, at that time ing among each other like giant fishing national implications. when these incidents happened. Indeed, worms. The one member of Mr. Kerrey’s SEAL the Medal Of Honor came up through We cleaned out the hooch, evacuated the team to allege extreme conduct did not pass the Navy Secretariat. I remember it wounded, washed at a nearby well, and went the credibility test with Newsweek magazine back to our war. By the next day this inci- quite well. Senator Chafee and I sat when the story was considered there. CBS’s dent was over, a little piece of history in the ‘‘60 Minutes,’’ which co-sponsored the inves- down, and Senator Chafee, then being long and ugly journey of a combat tour. But tigation, seems to have an affinity for sto- the Secretary, affixed his name to that in the coming months as I reflected on them, ries about Americans committing atrocities, citation for his heroic actions. the killings at My Loc raised an important having rehashed My Lai as the best way to This has been a personal experience distinction, which has become even more rel- remember the 30th anniversary of 1968, the to watch very carefully, to study and evant with the media firestorm over Bob year that brought the worst fighting, and read the many pieces that have been Kerrey’s ill-fated SEAL patrol in the highest American casualties, of the war. written, to watch him in his public ap- Mekong Delta. Most important, to one practiced in both Civilians have a terrible time in any war combat and journalism, a key and possibly pearances and study his face very care- zone—fully one-third of the population of determinative piece of information seems fully, his eyes and his mannerism, as Okinawa was killed in 12 weeks of fighting vastly underplayed. According to the Times he, I think in a very forthright man- on that island in 1945. But in a guerrilla war, magazine story, archive records of Army ner, shared with the American public, the support or control of the local popu- radio transmissions indicate that two days and, indeed, those in Vietnam who lation, rather than the conquest of territory, after the incident, ‘‘an old man from Thanh watched, his heartfelt expressions is the ultimate objective. Civilians become Phong presented himself to the district about this incident. It was a tragic in- enmeshed in the actual fighting, inseparable chief’s headquarters with claims for retribu- cident. from it. tion for alleged atrocities committed the They fight among themselves for political I ask unanimous consent two articles night of 25 and 26 February 69. Thus far it ap- dominance of a local area. They form an in- pears 24 people were killed. 13 were women which appeared in today’s media be frastructure and quietly support one side or and children and one old man, 11 were un- printed in the RECORD. the other when it moves through their vil- identified and assumed to be VC.’’ There being no objection, the mate- lage. They suffer greatly when battles are Given the tone of the story, this radio rial was ordered to be printed in the fought on top of them, and when emotions transmission was probably included because RECORD, as follows: overcome logic and troops snap, as at My it refers to the Kerrey patrol as having com- [From the Wall Street Journal, May 1, 2001] Lai. But the villagers of My Loc and others mitted an atrocity. But a closer reading like them, clearly noncombatants, were would appear to confirm the position of Mr. THE CONSEQUENCE OF WAR killed purely as a matter of political control, Kerrey and the five others on the patrol that (By James Webb) for having met with a South Vietnamese they took fire and returned it, with the loss The Vietnamese government is happy to government official and given some legit- of civilian lives an unfortunate consequence. trot out witnesses from the supposed atroc- imacy to his authority. This piece of evidence is perhaps the most ity conducted by Bob Kerrey’s Navy SEALs Any American who directed a similar objective account available of the results of at Thanh Phong. It is doubtful that they slaughter, or participated in it, would have the Kerrey patrol, coming as it does from a

VerDate Mar 15 2010 03:00 Dec 20, 2013 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 J:\ODA425\1997-2008-FILES-4-SS-PROJECT\2001-SENATE-REC-FILES\RECFILES-NEW\S mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY May 1, 2001 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4093 time near the incident, from a man who was didn’t speak the language, understand the would take to Vietnam. Through the asking for retribution and thus was hardly culture, or see the great ‘‘geopolitical impor- years I have valued his friendship enor- trying to cover things up. It also coincides tance’’ their leaders safely at home in their mously. with Mr. Kerry’s recollection of 13 or 14 dead air conditioned Washington offices seemed so I also had another personal experi- civilians in the village before the team left insistent upon giving to ‘‘Vietnam.’’ ence. I remember one day there was a the scene, as any Viet Cong soldiers would There were some sadists and psychopaths most likely have been on the other side of in the U.S. military then—and there were knock on my Senate door and in the villagers who were killed, perhaps even plenty of them in the anti-war movement, as walked Jan Scruggs, who asked if I using them as a screen while attempting to well—but Bob Kerrey was certainly not one would help his group in their struggles escape. of them. Indeed, in all of the reporting on his to build the Vietnam Veterans Memo- As has often been said over the past week, bleak and tormenting memories of that rial. I cannot think of a greater honor we will never know the exact details of what night, Mr.Kerrey has spoken repeatedly of I have had as a Member of the Senate occurred. But is a seven-man patrol oper- how he has ‘‘never made by peace with what than working, as I often refer to my- ating independently at night far inside happened that night.’’ self, as a private in the rear ranks of enemy territory killed 11 Viet Cong soldiers Nor should the fact that his own fellow SEALs offer dirrerent versions of that night Jan Scruggs’ group of individuals, who after coming under fire, it would seem they conceived and put together this mag- hit their assigned target. And the loss of ci- by really surprise anyone. Thirty-two years vilian life that accompanied this brief but ago, a moonless night in a strange and un- nificent memorial to the men and brutal firefight adds up not to an atrocity or known country, told the enemy was all women who sacrificed so much in that a massacre, but to a tragic consequence of a around them.... Why, most of the families conflict. war fought in the middle of a civilian popu- I know would tell different stories abut what I think I worked with him 6 to 7 lation. they had for dinner last night. years. I went to many meetings with Still, even having said this, at least two many stormy sessions in either my [From the Washington Times, May 1, 2001] additional points need to be made: about the Senate office or across the hall in the men truly responsible for those moonless SCALES OF CULPABILITY missions in Vietnam and about the coverage Armed Services Committee, and in the [(Georgie Anne Geyer) of this Bob Kerrey story. Veterans’ Affairs Committee. I remem- In days long gone by, when we lived far For there are people who deserve to suffer ber we would thrash out, in a highly simpler lives, according to the corny but as Mr. Kerrey has—haunted and profoundly contentious way, certain aspects of the nevertheless accurate truism, we agreed that regretful for what he did under his country’s design and development of that his- to genuinely know another human, you need- orders in the name of his people. They had toric memorial. Now it stands as just ed to walk awhile in his moccasins. the real responsibility. Robert McNamara, an extraordinary reminder of that pe- In those days, too, the press in particular the supercilious weapons maven, Lyndon riod. Its symbolism is different to held as its central maxim the idea that we Johnson (remember how he just resigned journalists were blessed with our wondrous midstream when the war wouldn’t go his every person who comes up to look at positions in order to tell the relative truths way?), the fall-in-line joint chiefs of staff, it. that keep people sane (journalism is news, not one of whom resigned over the war, even But in the course of those years, I re- not ‘‘truths’’) and to relate rather than John F. Kennedy and Harry S. Truman. I lived, with so many of those people, judge. Walk in anyone else’s moccasins haven’t heard of much trauma or many their experiences in that conflict. today trying to understand another’s life? sounds of remorse from these men, let alone Therefore I have had, if I may say, Not really interested. any seeking of forgiveness. And, remember, some modest association with the men Instead, in journalism and in politics as too, that the American people voted enthu- and women who fought in that conflict, well, the response to trials, scandal and trag- siastically for many of these ‘‘strategists’’ of and I have shared with them many edy has boiled down to most news-gatherers war. (1) having no common experience with the There are also people in the media for times their thoughts and concerns and prolific targets of their fleeting attention, whom ‘‘Vietnam’’ is less a country or even a recollections of the stresses and hard- and (2) not hesitating to publicly reveal war than another way to ‘‘get’’ public offi- ships that they have carried with them every delicious tidbit they can unearth. cials. to this day. Thus, they become prosecutor, judge and Most of the media do not cover stories So I find these articles to be very jury. overseas these days. (If you watch the news compelling and I urge my colleagues to As you may perhaps have guessed, I’m discussion shows, few of the participants go read them. I think they provide being so critical because of the evolving case out in the field to actually report anymore.) thoughtful, objective thinking to help That’s precisely why they can be so study of Nebraska’s respected senator, Bob in the interpretation of that chapter in Kerrey. judgmental of the men and women our coun- The retired senator, now president of the try sends out to do its dirty work. history which was so difficult to under- New School University in New York, has Judgmentalism is fun. It builds bylines and stand, particularly Senator Kerrey’s long been one of our most responsible public reputations, and if it hurts a few public lives mission on that fateful night in Viet- servants. Thoughtful, intellectual, known for here and there, well, that’s what those guys nam. his integrity: Those are only a few of the should have expected when they went into Americans must understand that war small accolades he has merited in a capital public office. Given all of this, Bob Kerrey is a terrible thing. Since the beginning so often these days filled with incompetence continues to look like the hero everyone has of history, wars have imposed the and greed. thought him. harshest of consequences, not only on Recently, in a series of revelations whose Mr. WARNER. I was personally im- the combatants in uniform but so often genesis, at least as of this writing remains pressed by these articles, the first writ- on the innocent civilians who get en- unclear, a tragic story has been unfolding ten by former Secretary of the Navy about him in different venues of the press. trapped between the lines or in the In short, the story is that, in a midnight Jim Webb appearing today in the Wall path of the advance or in the path of raid on a supposed Viet Cong village in 1969, Street Journal, and the second in the the retreat. And they have paid a price. Mr. Kerrey led a Navy SEALs raid. He be- Washington Times, written by Georgie I thought both Jim Webb and Ms. lieved his nervous and inexperienced unit Anne Geyer. I have not sat down with Geyer treated that subject thought- had been fired upon by the village, and so Ms. Geyer in some time, but in my fully based on their own firsthand ob- they bombarded it. But when they entered, course of these 23 years in the Senate, servations and experiences in country they found only the bodies of 13 Vietnamese I have had the opportunity to be inter- women and children or more. in Vietnam. For those of us who were in Vietnam (I was viewed by her. She is a very thoughtful So I attribute a great deal of credi- there for a total of 10 months as a foreign and careful journalist. In this article bility to these two authors, particu- correspondent for the Chicago Daily News in she recounts that she spent some 10 larly because of my long personal 1967, ’68, ’69 and ’70), such accidents of war months in country covering that war. knowledge of Jim Webb. I say, with were so common as to be barely commented Jim Webb, of course, was a highly great respect to him, his career in the upon. In fact, what exactly did Americans at decorated combat Marine officer: Navy military far exceeded anything I ever home expect of these young men and women, Cross, second highest decoration next did with my two brief periods of active having sent them into such a hopeless and to the Medal of Honor; Silver Star; duty, one just in the training command agonizing morass, barely prepared and on Purple Heart; and, coincidentally, he such an imprecise, futile mission? at the close of World War II, and the On any given night there, our soldiers were was a naval aide to me and to John second for a brief tour of duty in Korea in dark jungles or mountain ranges. They Chafee as a young captain and major in with the 1st Marine Air Corps. didn’t know where the ‘‘enemy’’ was—or why the Marine Corps in that period of To the extent I was able to observe in God’s name they were there at all. They time. He briefed me prior to trips I others in a combat situation in Korea,

VerDate Mar 15 2010 03:00 Dec 20, 2013 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 J:\ODA425\1997-2008-FILES-4-SS-PROJECT\2001-SENATE-REC-FILES\RECFILES-NEW\S mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S4094 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 1, 2001 as basically a staff officer—I never put They did so to protect the civilians and sometimes even in opposition to myself in the category of those who in the combat zone. In that period of the President of the United States. rightfully claim combat status, but I time, it was very difficult to determine While I didn’t always agree with some did stay in the same tents, eat in the who the enemy was; imagine that—who of the details, it was my view it was a mess, slept in the bunkers with them— the enemy was. It was a very complex strong performance on the part of FBI they are a very special breed, these conflict into which we injected our Director Louis Freeh. young men and women who fought men and women. I think the Director also did an out- wars in harm’s way to preserve our So we will never know exactly what standing job in expanding the FBI’s freedom. happened that February night in that role in combating organized crime Today I do my very best as a member Thanh Phong, Vietnam, battle. But I internationally, and his tenure has of the Armed Services Committee to respect the word of my former col- seen a vast expansion of FBI offices provide for a means of showing my re- league, Robert Kerrey, and I urge other around the world carrying on very im- spect for them and, indeed, my grate- Senators to read these articles and de- portant counterespionage work and fulness to the American military for cide for themselves. I believe each of us counterterrorism work. There has been training me as a young person and for ought to make our own determination an excellent level of cooperation estab- providing me with the GI bill of rights. about this situation. lished between the FBI and the CIA I have many emotions as I stand be- I conclude my remarks with a salute under the CIA leadership of George fore the Senate tonight to express to the men and women who fought in Tenet and, before that, John Deutch, these views. I got to know Jim Webb that conflict and share with them my with the FBI directorship under Louis well when he was in the office of the complete understanding, as near as I Freeh. Navy Secretary and I tried to counsel can base it on my own experiences. I him as best I could on his decision to salute them. There have been difficulties during Director Freeh’s tenure with the FBI leave active duty—which largely was f not of his choosing but was dictated by crime lab and with the investigation of facts very personal to him. Had he RESIGNATION OF DIRECTOR Dr. Wen Ho Lee—on that subject, the stayed in the Marine Corps I think he FREEH Judiciary Subcommittee on Adminis- was destined to the highest of rank and Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, the trative Oversight and the Courts is the greatest of responsibility. He had principal reason for my seeking rec- continuing the inquiry—and also with to make a tough decision to leave the ognition is to comment briefly on the the allegations as to the Hanssen case, Corps and pursue other challenges. I announced resignation of FBI Director the alleged spy. mentioned, of course, for a brief period Louis Freeh. He has tendered his res- But I think, overall, Director Freeh’s he became Secretary of the Navy. I was ignation effective in June of this year. tenure with the FBI has been out- very proud of his service as Navy Sec- I believe Director Freeh has done an standing. He brought to the position retary. outstanding job in a very difficult posi- unique credentials, having been an FBI Several facts which I note from these tion. agent and assistant U.S. attorney, a articles and which I note from my own I had considerable opportunity to Federal judge, and he had the capacity observation, again, are unquestioned. work with Director Freeh in my capac- to know law enforcement while also So many statements have been made ity as chairman of the Subcommittee understanding civil rights. When the by my distinguished colleagues about on the Judiciary and when I chaired problems arose in Ruby Ridge, he did the honor and integrity of Bob Kerrey. the Senate Intelligence Committee. not hesitate to change the long- His bravery and valor have been recog- The Judiciary Subcommittee on Ter- standing FBI policies on the use of nized many times, including being rorism in 1996 had extensive hearings deadly force in recognition of civil awarded the Congressional Medal of on Ruby Ridge, with Randy Weaver iso- rights, at the same time maintaining Honor. lating himself, and action by the Alco- very strong law enforcement standards. I know during the Vietnam war we hol, Tobacco and Firearms units and I think the President will have a dif- asked many young men—I repeat that, FBI that led to a shootout which re- ficult replacement assignment in find- we, the United States of America, we grettably caused the death of a U.S. ing another Director who can measure the Congress of the United States and Marshall, Randy Weaver’s wife, and up to what Director Freeh has done. It the President, the Presidents of the Randy Weaver’s young son. is certainly a fact when law enforce- During the course of that investiga- United States—asked many young ment has faced tough issues, they have tion, FBI Director Freeh had the cour- men, and some women in a combat sup- moved ahead and made many assign- age to stand up and change very deeply port status, to undertake very difficult ments to the FBI. Director Freeh’s re- ingrained policies in the FBI, changing missions under the most extreme and sponse on changing the FBI’s use of their rules of engagement and their use dangerous of conditions. They put their deadly force was in sharp contrast to of deadly force. I think that took some lives at risk to accomplish sometimes the refusal of the Alcohol, Tobacco and doing in the face of institutional oppo- unclear missions while trying to mini- Firearms units, and even the Secretary sition. mize casualties within their own units. of the Treasury, to make changes when Recently, I discussed this with mem- He led an outstanding FBI investiga- there had been clear-cut fault estab- bers of the Armed Services Committee tion into the bombing on Khobar Tow- lished as to the Alcohol, Tobacco and staff, combat veterans from Vietnam. ers, personally making a number of Firearms unit. We followed these stories about Sen- trips overseas. That is a matter which ator Kerrey. We sat down and ex- has yet to see a final resolution, but I salute Director Freeh on the an- changed our own views. I deferred to there has been very able and excellent nouncement of retirement and note his them because two of them were in the investigative work done by the FBI in very excellent work and say we will thick of battle and they talked about that matter in a very difficult cir- have a tough time finding someone to the number of times throughout that cumstance, working with officials from fill those big shoes. war as veterans of ground combat that Saudi Arabia. they took risks, themselves, person- Director Freeh did a good job in cam- f ally, and risks to their men who were paign finance reform, taking positions with them, to provide some measure of which were sometimes in conflict with MIDDLE EAST PEACE protection to the innocent non-combat- the Attorney General, technically his ant persons who had gotten entrapped superior, in the Department of Justice, Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I ask in those battles in the dark nights and although the FBI Director has unique unanimous consent to have printed in dusty days in that deep canopy. status, really, in that he has a 10-year the RECORD a ‘‘Commentary’’ on the Yes, they did take personal risks appointment. So there were times mideast peace process. themselves. As near as I can determine, when Director Freeh found it necessary There being no objection; the mate- then-Lieutenant Kerrey, Robert to take stands in opposition to the At- rial was ordered to be printed in the Kerrey, took those risks himself. torney General of the United States RECORD, as follows:

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