[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 101 (Wednesday, July 16, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S7512]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              INVESTIGATION OF THE 1996 FEDERAL ELECTIONS

  Mr. TORRICELLI. Mr. President, I rise today to address two of the 
current investigations that are taking place within the Federal 
Government on this day. They are very different and they involve 
different branches of the Government but are important to this country 
and many of our citizens.
  Mr. President, I will address first as a member of the Governmental 
Affairs Committee what I think is potentially an important new 
beginning in our investigation of the problems of the financing of the 
1996 elections.
  Members of the committee have for some time had different perceptions 
about the most serious allegations involved in that investigation. 
This, of course, involves the question of whether or not there was an 
attempt by a foreign government, principally the Government of China, 
to influence our Federal elections in 1996.
  I believe that there is now a common understanding that while all 
sides previously acknowledged that there was probably such an attempt 
and regarded it seriously, there were differences about certain aspects 
of the allegations.
  I think the new common understanding is that while there was clearly 
such an attempt made by the Chinese Government, that it was bipartisan 
in its goals and primarily designed to influence the Congress of the 
United States and not exclusively the Presidential candidates in 1996, 
and that it also at this moment remains unclear whether or not to what 
extent it might have succeeded in either influencing the elections or 
more importantly the policies of the United States Government. These 
have been contentious issues that divided the committee until this day.
  I am very pleased, based on statements made by both Democratic and 
Republicans members of the committee, that I believe our investigation 
now proceeds with a common perception of these facts. I believe that is 
critical for the committee doing its work and in eventually uncovering 
whether and to what extent this foreign involvement violated our laws.

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