[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 86 (Thursday, June 30, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 30, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
            FINAL REPORT ON THE DEATH OF VINCENT FOSTER, JR.

  Mr. BUMPERS. Mr. President, let me just say to my distinguished 
colleague and good friend, Senator Pryor, that he has served the Nation 
well by the statement he just made. I believe the whole Vincent Foster 
saga is one of the sorriest, saddest chapters in the history of this 
country.
  Vince Foster's whole family have been good friends of mine and 
Senator Pryor's during our political careers.
  Vincent Foster's death was such a sad thing. He was a man of 
outstanding talents, mind, feelings about public service, and was a 
senior partner in one of the finest law firms in our State. His 
wonderful mother and sister were never permitted to grieve in peace, as 
Senator Pryor said.
  When I speak to high school groups and even college groups, it is 
impossible for me to be as upbeat as I would like to be, and often 
times I say one of the saddest things about what has happened in this 
country is that people have forgotten how to be civil: We have 
forgotten how to say ``Thank you''; ``I am sorry''; ``Please''; 
``Excuse me''. We have become so crude and insensitive in so many ways.
  Not long ago, I watched an episode of ``Saturday Night Live'', one of 
my favorite programs. I used to love to watch it. But in my opinion, 
they desecrated the memory of Vincent Foster, Jr., in an unbelievably 
crude, insensitive, and crass way. I have not been able to watch 
``Saturday Night Live'' since I saw that. All I could think about was 
the way his mother and family must have felt hearing his exemplary life 
and cherished memory being desecrated.
  I want to applaud the independent counsel. I have not read the 
report. But based on what Senator Pryor just said, counsel said exactly 
what needed to be said about the subject. Until we have a society with 
a culture where people are automatically taught to be more sensitive 
about things like that, then I dare say, I yearn for the British system 
where, for example, under their system of criminal justice the 
prosecutor does not go before the cameras and tell every shred of 
evidence he has. He announces the indictment, and that is all you see 
until the day of trial.
  It is so easy to get caught up in this sort of thing. And, as Senator 
Pryor just pointed out, some of the things that were written in 
speculation about a wonderful man's death just haunted me.
  So I thank Senator Pryor for saying what he said. I thank the 
independent counsel for what seems to have been a very thorough 
investigation of something that should never even have had to be 
examined.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. REID addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from Nevada.

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