[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 28 (Tuesday, March 15, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 15, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                    TRYING TIMES AT THE WHITE HOUSE

  Mr. DOLE. Madam President, as evidenced by remarks President Clinton 
made about Republicans last night, these must be very trying times at 
the White House. Several of the closest friends of the President and 
First Lady have already been forced to leave the administration, and 
others are facing subpoenas related to the Whitewater affair.
  So perhaps the frustration coming out of the White House is 
understandable. I can just say as an aside, I happened to be chairman 
of the Republican Party during Watergate, and I know the frustrations 
inside the White House when things start to happen.
  But that does not mean White House attacks on Republicans have a 
shred of truth to them. Partisan finger pointing does not do anything 
to answer the questions the American people are asking or change the 
fact that blame for the Whitewater mess rests solely with the White 
House. As far as I know, no Republicans have done anything. If we have, 
then we ought to be held accountable for it.
  Despite the President's comments last evening that the Republican 
Party is just ``an opposition party that stands up and says no, no, 
no''--I do not know how many no's he had. He had a whole lot of them--
he has had our help on issue after issue. Republicans delivered the 
winning margin on the North American Free-Trade Agreement, the defeat 
of which would have been seen as a stinging defeat for the White House.
  Senate Republicans and Democrats put aside partisan differences to 
pass the toughest anticrime bill ever last year, a bill now bogged down 
by Democrat gridlock in the House. Republicans worked with the 
President to pass the Russian reconstruction package. We helped 
strengthen his hand in Somalia and Bosnia. We have supported his 
efforts to open Japanese markets to American products, and we moved 
quickly to help him fill key Government posts.
  When it comes to health care reform, I know I speak for my Republican 
colleagues in saying we are ready to work with the President and work 
with the Democrat majority to improve our Nation's health care system. 
That is why Republicans have introduced comprehensive alternative 
reform plans. That is why Republicans recently held a 2-day retreat 
devoted exclusively to health care. That is why Republicans on the 
Senate Finance Committee will spend this weekend with our Democrat 
counterparts to discuss health care reform. That is why this Senator 
hopes we can ultimately arrive at a bipartisan approach that wins 80 or 
85 votes in the Senate. The American people are looking for a second 
opinion on health care reform, and Republicans are determined to be a 
part of the solution.
  During the 1992 Presidential campaign, then Governor Clinton said, 
and I quote, ``I understand how to work with people and get the best 
out of people in the legislative process.''
  Of course, in Arkansas there were not many Republicans to work with 
in the State legislature, 1 or 2 State Senators and 8 or 9 House 
members out of 100. So maybe when there are not any around, they are 
easy to work with.
  I am not certain playing the blame game is the best way to ``get the 
best out of'' Republicans. But despite his remarks last night, we will 
continue to help him where we can. As the loyal opposition, our role is 
clear. When President Clinton moves America in the right direction, 
then Republicans will and should support him. But when we believe the 
President is taking America down the wrong road, then it is our duty to 
try and change his direction or, if that fails, then, yes, it is our 
duty to apply the brakes to bad legislation.
  Let me say to the White House, it has been a long, cold winter here 
in Washington, and maybe the weather has made everyone a little cranky. 
But it finally looks like spring is here. So take a few minutes to 
relax. Go outside. Take a walk. Enjoy the Sun. Remember that the 
election is over and you won. There is no need to make every day a 
battle between Democrats and Republicans. We are all here to do the 
people's business, and the sooner you get the Whitewater facts out, the 
sooner we have congressional inquiries, the sooner you can put it 
behind you, and the sooner we can get on with the people's business. 
And we are prepared to do that. We are ready to do that on a bipartisan 
basis on almost any issue that I can think of that may be coming up in 
the U.S. Senate in the next few weeks.
  We have our differences. We have always had differences--Democratic 
differences, and Republican differences depending on the 
administration. That is the way the process works. But we are the loyal 
opposition. And the President is right. He will have our support, which 
he had on NAFTA, which he had on Russian aid, and on other things that 
I elicited earlier on.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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