[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 24 (Tuesday, March 8, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                               WHITEWATER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
February 11, 1994, the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Linder] is 
recognized during morning business for 3 minutes.
  Mr. LINDER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to respond to a charge by the 
President that Republicans are fomenting hysteria regarding the 
Whitewater affair.
  That, of course, is ridiculous.
  Sure, before the special counsel asked that we do not, we would have 
liked the committees of jurisdiction to hold hearings on the issues 
that spring from this whole affair.
  We would have liked the Small Business Committee to investigate fully 
the charges that the Small Business Administration made a fraudulent 
loan to people attached to Madison Guaranty.
  And we think it would have been important for the Banking Committee 
to investigate fully the activities of the Madison Guaranty Savings & 
Loan. After all, they did not hesitate to question Neil Bush for 
several weeks.
  And I still believe that the Congress has a critical job to do here. 
That job is not to brush this sordid affair under the carpet.
  After all, part of the job of the Congress is to investigate when 
there is the hint of scandal attached to public officials and public 
funds. This is called oversight.
  The sum total of the Republican effort in the Whitewater affair has 
been to try to get the Congress to do its job.
  No one in this body would accuse my friend from Iowa, Jim Leach, of 
being a rabid partisan. He is one of the fairest, most respected 
Members of this institution, and his efforts have been beyond reproach. 
He is a genuine intellectual.
  No one would accuse the Washington Post of being rabid Republicans, 
yet they have come out with a series of stories on this issue.
  Mr. Speaker, I would submit to the President that if he has a beef, 
he should take it up with his staff.
  After all, it is White House fumbling that has created this public 
perception of coverup. It is faulty advice that has caused 
embarrassment to the President.
  It is not Republican attacks that have the White House in this 
curious state. As one Presidential adviser said, ``the damage control 
team created a lot more damage than it controlled.''
  The President has misdirected his fire at the Republican Party.
  The President seems to think that Republicans want to attack the 
administration with scandal, because we cannot beat them with actual 
policy.
  I urge the American people to look at the facts. Look at our health 
care proposal and then at the Clinton proposal. It is the difference 
between enlightened realism and farfetched socialist fantasy.
  Or look at the Republican crime proposal, which exists, and the 
Clinton crime proposal, which does not.
  Or look at the Republican welfare proposal, which is an actual 
document, and the Clinton proposal, which is vague rhetoric.
  Republicans would welcome an opportunity to get on with the issues 
that the American people really care about. And we are ready to do that 
today.
  Madam Speaker, the President should not lash out at Republicans for 
trying to get to the bottom of the Whitewater affair.
  He should look at his own operation, and see from where the smoke is 
coming.

                          ____________________