[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 26 (Tuesday, March 4, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1927-S1928]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE RESOLUTION 61--RELATIVE TO FUNDING FOR THE COMMITTEE ON 
                         GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS.

  Mr. GLENN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Rules and Administration:

                               S. Res. 61

       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. SCOPE OF HEARINGS.

       (a) In General.--The Committee on Governmental Affairs 
     (hereafter referred to as the ``Committee'') shall conduct a 
     Special Investigation into illegal or improper fundraising 
     and spending practices in the 1996 Federal election 
     campaigns, including the following:
       (1) Foreign contributions and the effect of those 
     contributions on the United States political system.
       (2) Conflicts of interest involving Federal office holders 
     and employees, and the misuse of Government offices.
       (3) Failure by Federal employees to maintain and observe 
     legal limitations relating to fundraising and official 
     business.
       (4) The independence of the Presidential campaigns from the 
     political activities pursued for their benefit by outside 
     individuals or groups.
       (5) The misuse of charitable and tax exempt organizations 
     in connection with political or fundraising activities.
       (6) Amounts given to or spent by a political party for the 
     purpose of influencing Federal elections generally that are 
     not subject to the limitations or reporting requirements of 
     the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431 et 
     seq.) (commonly referred to as `soft money') and the effect 
     of soft money on the United States political system.
       (7) Promises or grants of special access in return for 
     political contributions or favors.
       (8) The effect of independent expenditures (whether by 
     corporations, labor unions, or otherwise) upon the current 
     Federal campaign finance system, and the question as to 
     whether such expenditures are truly independent.
       (9) Contributions to and expenditures by entities for the 
     benefit or in the interest of Federal officers.
       (10) Practices described in paragraphs (1) through (9) that 
     occurred in previous Federal election campaigns to the extent 
     that those practices are similar or analogous.
       (b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this resolution shall 
     be construed to limit the authority of the Committee on 
     Governmental Affairs under the Senate Rules or section 13(d) 
     of S. Res. 54, adopted February 13, 1997.

     SEC. 2. INVESTIGATIONS PROCEDURES.

       (a) Additional Procedures.--The procedures under this 
     section shall apply to the Special Investigation in addition 
     to the procedures under the Senate and Committee Rules.
       (b) In General.--The Committee shall ensure that the 
     majority and minority--
       (1) have contemporaneous access to all documentary evidence 
     received by the Committee and the right to be given adequate 
     advance notice of, to be present at, and to participate 
     equally in all depositions and investigatory interviews;
       (2) have equal opportunity to obtain and present relevant 
     testimonial and documentary evidence on the subjects of the 
     Committee's inquiry; and
       (3) are treated equally and without discrimination in the 
     discharge of the Committee's administrative responsibilities, 
     including--
       (A) equal and contemporaneous access to computer hardware 
     and software, communication equipment and services, and other 
     office equipment, including nonstandard items;
       (B) equal and contemporaneous consideration and approval of 
     all travel associated with official committee business; and
       (C) the assignment of office space of equal quality.
       (c) Detailees.--The Committee shall ensure that any 
     detailee engaged in activities for the investigation is 
     jointly directed and jointly tasked by the majority and 
     minority, unless the Committee agreed to reimburse the full 
     cost of such detailee to the detailee's employer, and the 
     employer has approved the arrangement.
       (d) Investigatory Topics and Hearings.--
       (1) Priorities.--Priority of investigatory topics and 
     hearings shall be established based upon relevance to 
     illustrating the need for reform of current campaign finance 
     laws, with illustrations taken, wherever possible, from 
     practices of both major political parties.
       (2) Task forces.--The Chairman and Ranking Member shall 
     establish joint investigative task forces to plan and 
     structure such hearings, including the selection of 
     witnesses, so as to present a comprehensive explanation and 
     illustration of current fundraising and expenditure practices 
     by the two major political parties and their candidates for 
     Federal offices, including practices alleged to be illegal, 
     improper, or otherwise designed to evade Federal regulation.

     SEC. 3. REPORTS.

       (a) In General.--Except as provided under subsection (b), 
     the Committee shall make a final report to the Senate of the 
     results of the investigation it conducts pursuant to this 
     resolution, together with its findings and any 
     recommendations, at the earliest practicable date, but not 
     later than December 31, 1997. Either subsequent to or prior 
     to the final Committee report, the Chairman and the Ranking 
     Member of the Committee may introduce a continued funding 
     resolution for the Special Investigation (which shall be 
     placed on the calendar on the date of introduction) or the 
     Committee may report to the Senate a continued funding 
     resolution. The Majority Leader may turn to such resolution 
     at any time after 10 calendar days that the resolution is 
     placed on the calendar.
       (b) Extension.--On or before December 31, 1997, the 
     Committee may extend the investigation by and final report of 
     the Committee from December 31, 1997 to March 31, 1998. An 
     extension under this subsection may be made only by a 
     unanimous vote of the Committee.

     SEC. 4. EXPENSES.

       (a) In General.--The expenses for the Special Investigation 
     shall not exceed $1,800,000 for the investigation, which 
     shall be made available, for the payment of salaries and all 
     other expenses of the Special Investigation, from the 
     contingent fund of the Senate out of the Account for Expenses 
     for Inquiries and Investigations.
       (b) Limitation on Source of Funding.--No funds may be 
     expended on the Special Investigation described under section 
     1, except funds made available under this resolution or a 
     continued funding resolution described under section 3.

[[Page S1928]]

     SEC. 5. CONSIDERATION OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM LEGISLATION.

       Not later than May 1, 1997, the Senate shall proceed to 
     consideration of S. 25 which shall remain the pending order 
     of business until final disposition.

  Mr. GLENN. Mr. President, I rise to submit a Senate resolution 
funding the Committee on Governmental Affairs for a special 
investigation of Federal election campaign fundraising and expenditure 
practices.
  Mr. President, this resolution is in response to the growing need for 
a fair, bipartisan investigation of the disturbing pattern of campaign 
fundraising at both the Presidential and congressional level in recent 
elections, as well as the need for campaign finance reform.
  The resolution incorporates the investigatory scope agreed upon by a 
vote of the Governmental Affairs Committee at its meeting on January 
30, 1997. It also incorporates procedures to help ensure that the 
investigation will be bipartisan. This is critical to the success of 
the investigation, if success is defined in terms of forward movement 
of reform of our campaign fundraising practices. And reform can only 
occur if the public realizes the truth about campaign fundraising--that 
the abuses do not lie only on one side.
  Indeed, an unbalanced, partisan investigation that suggested that all 
the problems lie solely or even mainly with one party would be 
destructive to forging a consensus, and would lead to more political 
games, possibly including an attempt to pass reform legislation crafted 
not so much to fix the system as to give one party a fundraising 
advantage over the other.
  As the Ranking Democrat on Governmental Affairs, I have urged the 
Chairman and the other Republican members of the committee to follow 
standard Senate practice and enter into an agreement that the 
investigation will be conducted in a bipartisan manner with a balanced 
agenda, a clear statement of mission and legislative purpose, a fair 
set of rules of procedure, a timeframe for completion of the 
investigation with provision for extension if necessary, and a 
reasonable amount of money.
  Unfortunately and most disappoint-edly, agreement has eluded us thus 
far, despite many hours of discussion.
  Much attention has been lavished in the press on the difference 
between the proposed funding of this investigation by the Republican 
side--originally $6.5 million, subsequently reduced to $5.7 million 
after receipt of assurances that 10 FBI personnel would be detailed to 
the committee--and the Democratic side--an initial outlay of $1.8 
million with provision for additional funds to be considered if 
necessary. But the length of the investigation and the fairness of the 
investigation are or equal importance.
  Length is important because an investigation that includes 
congressional fundraising as one of its foci should not extend 
significantly into an election year.
  Fairness is important if there is to be any credibility to the 
investigation.
  There has been, in my view, a certain amount of disinformation that 
has been disseminated about the position of the Democratic side 
regarding this investigation. I will have much to say about that at a 
later time. For now, I believe it is important for the public to know 
precisely what Democrats have been proposing for this investigation. 
This resolution incorporates these proposals.
  The resolution calls for a fair, bipartisan, adequately funded, 
potentially yearlong investigation into both Presidential and 
congressional fundraising practices, and requires that the McCain-
Feingold bill be brought to the floor for consideration no later than 
May 1, 1997.
  I believe this is a reasonable proposal and I urge its passage.

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