[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 178 (Friday, November 10, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2157]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



[[Page E 2157]]


                     ABUSES AT DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

                                 ______


                        HON. W.J. (BILLY) TAUZIN

                              of louisiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 10, 1995

  Mr. TAUZIN. Mr. Speaker, I read with dismay this morning's story 
about the foolish waste of taxpayer dollars by staff at the Secretary 
of Energy's office to pay for consultative review of press coverage of 
the Secretary and her Department. It is but one more example of agency 
spending on image building and lobbying that I hope to address in 
legislation which Mr. Clinger and I are now preparing. We cannot and 
should not tolerate such abuses any longer.
  But if one is to legitimately call upon the President to ask for the 
Secretary's resignation over this, we should be prepared to ask that 
the entire Cabinet resign. Every department in one form or another, is 
equally guilty of abusive waste and inappropriate spending on image 
building, lobbying, and public relations efforts. All of which should 
be equally condemned and rendered illegal. Secretary O'Leary is 
entitled to no special favors on this.
  Energy Secretary O'Leary's standing in our Government and the Cabinet 
should not be called into question on this incident. She should be 
judged and regarded by how successfully she conducts the proper affairs 
of the Department of Energy, and on that basis she has every right and 
duty to continue her service to the President and to our Nation.
  Secretary O'Leary and every Cabinet official, however, need to 
instruct their collective staff to end this practice of public 
relations spending and inappropriate lobbying. If they are unable to do 
so, the Congress, I believe, is ready to make those practices illegal, 
as they are both dumb and inexcusable.

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