[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 179 (Monday, November 13, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H16950]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           LITTLE SUBSTANCE TO STORY ABOUT SECRETARY O'LEARY

  (Mr. BROWN of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BROWN of California. Mr. Speaker, last Thursday the Wall Street 
Journal ran an article that was mildly critical of Secretary O'Leary at 
the Energy Department and used the words of accusing her of conducting 
investigations of reporters who were covering her agency. The article 
was not that bad, but it provided sufficient ammunition that a number 
of our colleagues immediately leaped into the breach, hoping that a 
major scandal was developing and issued ``Dear Colleague'' letters and 
a proposed letter to the President requiring the firing of Secretary 
O'Leary.
  This was basically a reflection of the delicate emotional state that 
exists in Washington right now rather than being based on any 
substantive information, and I will be sending out a ``Dear Colleague'' 
letter today that will reflect more of the facts of this situation.
  The firm was terminated 2 months before the story ran. It does not do 
investigative work, as the article alleges, and there is very little 
substance to the entire story.

                          ____________________