[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 111 (Thursday, July 31, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S8483]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             COMPTROLLER GENERAL, GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, before leaving for the August recess, I want 
to address the Senate briefly on the matter of the vacancy in the 
Office of the Comptroller General. The General Accounting Office is a 
vital organization to the Congress, and the person selected to head the 
GAO must have the confidence of both the majority and minority. When a 
vacancy occurs, a commission is established by statute to consider and 
recommend candidates to the White House. The members of this commission 
are the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, 
the majority and minority leaders in the House and Senate, and the 
chairman and ranking member of the Senate Governmental Affairs 
Committee and the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee.
  Members should be advised that this group has been organized on a 
bipartisan, bicameral basis, and we are moving forward. Based on the 
precedent of alternating between Houses, I will serve as chairman of 
the commission, with the Speaker of the House serving as vice chair. 
The Governmental Affairs Committee has jurisdiction over the General 
Accounting Office, and I have asked Senator Thompson and his staff to 
manage the administrative tasks of the commission. There are a number 
of candidates to start, but Senator Daschle joins me today in putting 
all Members on notice that we are open to recommendations. If you know 
of someone interested in being considered for the position, please 
advise me, the minority leader, Senator Thompson, or Senator Glenn at 
the Governmental Affairs Committee, as soon as possible to ensure that 
the commission has an opportunity to consider all qualified candidates.

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