[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 13, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1999-S2000]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       A BATTLE OVER THE PROMOTION OF NAVY COMMANDER ROBERT STUMP

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I want to take a moment to speak about a 
battle that is raging over the promotion of Navy Comdr. Robert Stump. 
The battle is raging within the Senate Armed Services Committee, and it 
is being discussed, as well, in the press.
  I have had my differences with this committee in the past, but I want 
to set the record straight. In this particular case, I think the 
committee is getting a bum rap. I think the Senate Armed Services 
Committee is doing the right thing.
  Commander Stump's promotion to the rank of captain has been denied by 
the Senate Armed Services Committee. It was denied because of his 
suspected involvement in the inappropriate behavior at the Tailhook 
convention.
  I support the committee's decision to deny the promotion, and I 
support it 100 percent.
  Unfortunately, Commander Stump believes that promotion is an 
inalienable right. Sadly, he believes that the Senate should not sit in 
judgment of his character, or even make judgments about his character. 
So he has hired a lawyer and has been conducting a very ugly lobbying 
campaign.
  The committee is getting hammered with bad publicity. His supporters 
argue that Commander Stump has been cleared of criminal wrongdoing. 
They argue that he is an innocent man, and they argue that he has been 
treated unfairly and that the flagging procedure should be abolished.
  Being cleared of criminal charges does not tell me that Commander 
Stump is ready for promotion. Mr. President, this is a negative 
standard of judgment. A negative standard of judgment will not help to 
nurture the kind of topnotch leadership that the Navy so badly needs.
  To decide whether he is ready for promotion to captain, we need 
unambiguous answers to at least 5 questions:

[[Page S2000]]

  No. 1, has he demonstrated excellence in the performance of his 
duties?
  Two, has he demonstrated excellence in leadership and discipline?
  Three, does he always set a good example?
  Four, does he care for and respect the men and women who serve under 
him in the Navy?
  Five, and above all, is he a man of integrity?
  In my mind, Mr. President, Commander Stump's activities at Tailhook 
raise questions about his ability to exert moral leadership. I 
personally like the controversial ``flagging'' procedures. This 
procedure was instituted by the Armed Services Committee. It is a 
procedure for identifying the files of promotion candidates suspected 
of inappropriate behavior at Tailhook.

  There is a good reason for doing this. The committee does not want to 
get bushwhacked on the floor by Senators like me, and other Senators, 
who may be waiting for an inappropriate person to be advanced to the 
floor for confirmation when they should not be that far along in the 
process anyway.
  If we discover that a prospective nominee has engaged in misconduct 
at Tailhook, or anywhere else, they know that certain Senators on this 
floor, including myself, will raise questions and maybe hold it up.
  Too many Navy nominees have slipped through the Senate confirmation 
net when damaging information about them lay hidden in Government 
files. It usually leaks out to the press after the fact. If that 
information had been exposed to public debate, some of the nominations 
would have died. ``Flagging'' helps to fix this problem.
  Mr. President, the only way to solve the Navy's leadership problem is 
to promote men and women who measure up to a standard of excellence.
  I think it is clear that the Senate Armed Services Committee has done 
the right thing in this particular nomination.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. PRESSLER. 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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