[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 23 (Thursday, February 27, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1728-S1729]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    INVESTIGATE CONGRESSIONAL ABUSES

  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, today on the front page of the Washington 
Post there is a story that I think should not simply slide by the 
concern and consideration of all our colleagues in the Senate. The 
headline is, ``GOP Senators Seek To Curb Panel's Fund-Raising Probe.''
  The heart of the story is a basic expression, on behalf of some 
Senators, that they only want to focus on President Clinton. They do 
not want an investigation that somehow looks into the activities of the 
Congress itself.
  I know the Congress is plenty good at taking care of itself. Through 
history it has proven that. But the American people will not be 
satisfied with such

[[Page S1729]]

an extraordinary, brazen, overt statement of unwillingness to heed the 
interests of the American people and to get to the bottom of any 
allegations of wrongdoing in any kind of fundraising. Anyone who 
suggests we can just sweep this under the rug because people are 
nervous up here, or somehow they think that looking at congressional 
inquiries might become the instigator of reform, and therefore, because 
they don't want reform, they are not going to investigate, is one of 
the most extraordinary efforts of turning your back on the interests of 
what we are supposed to be doing here and of the American people.
  I will signal for myself, and I think there are other Senators who 
feel this way--no one is looking for some no-holds-barred embarrassment 
here. No one is looking for some fishing expedition. But where there 
are legitimate examples and legitimate allegations with respect to 
congressional abuses, it would simply be inappropriate for the Congress 
of the United States to sweep it under the rug and walk away because we 
fear whatever that might tell us. It would be even more inappropriate 
to do so because we fear reform.
  I can think of nothing that would invite a storm of protest from the 
American people over a period of time more than that kind of front page 
statement about the congressional willingness to sweep something under 
the rug.
  I yield the floor.

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