[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 98 (Tuesday, July 21, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8595-S8596]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       NOMINATION OF JAMES HORMEL

  Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise this morning to speak briefly on the 
nomination of Mr. James Hormel to be the United States Ambassador to 
Luxembourg.
  Mr. Hormel has a distinguished record as a businessperson, as a 
lawyer, as a former dean of the University of Chicago Law School, and 
as a philanthropist. His family owns one of the largest agriculture 
companies in our country.
  He has, throughout his distinguished career, been a contributor and 
supporter of many worthy organizations. His philanthropy is well known 
throughout the United States. He has contributed significantly to the 
Catholic Youth Organization, to the United Negro College Fund, 
Swarthmore College, Breast Cancer Action, and to many, many other 
associations. He has also served as the alternate representative to the 
United Nations General Assembly on behalf of our country, the United 
States of America.
  Mr. Hormel's nomination was favorably reported out by the Committee 
on Foreign Relations and is widely supported here in the U.S. Senate.
  Indeed, hundreds of distinguished Americans have favorably commented 
on his nomination, and they have stated that Mr. Hormel has the ability 
and skills to successfully represent the United States in Luxembourg.
  Now, there are many who are watching this proceeding who would ask, 
given all these qualifications, why would Mr. Hormel be denied a vote 
on his nomination to be Ambassador to Luxembourg? The simple answer 
comes down to the fact of Mr. Hormel's sexual orientation.
  There are many--the vast majority of Americans and the vast majority 
of Senators--who feel that this is irrelevant to the duties that he 
will perform as Ambassador to Luxembourg, and we should look not to his 
sexual orientation, but to his record of achievement and to his ability 
and to his responsibilities throughout his career in

[[Page S8596]]

terms of advancing not his personal agenda, but in fact serving well 
both the institutions he represented, such as the University of 
Chicago, and many, many philanthropic activities which he has been 
involved in.
  But there are some in this Chamber who I fear would rather not have 
an Ambassador, but would rather have a political issue. My preference 
is to have an Ambassador serving the United States with distinction in 
Luxembourg. And I believe Mr. Hormel will do that.
  Mr. President, the Providence Journal newspaper in my home State of 
Rhode Island put it best when they headlined the editorial by simply 
saying ``Vote on Hormel.''
  Mr. Hormel does not want this ambassadorship as a pulpit to advance 
any agenda. What he wants to do is represent our country with 
distinction and great diligence. I believe he will do that.
  In his own words, in a letter to Senator Gordon Smith, our colleague, 
he said:

       I will not use, nor do I think it appropriate to use, the 
     office of ambassador to advocate any personal views I may 
     hold on any issue. . . . I assure you that my public 
     positions will be those of the U.S. Government.

  I believe that however one feels about Mr. Hormel's qualifications, 
this institution deserves to give him a vote, to give him an 
opportunity to have his case decided openly here on the floor of this 
Chamber, allowing individual Senators to make whatever point they may 
choose to make about his qualifications, about his potential to serve. 
But to deny him his vote, I think, is to deny not only one individual 
but this country the opportunity to make a decision about his 
qualifications to serve.
  I hope that we can quickly bring his nomination to the floor for a 
vote and then let the will of the majority prevail. I believe it is 
wrong and unfortunate that we retain this nomination and not allow it 
to come to the floor for the vote. I hope in the days ahead we will 
vote on Mr. Hormel and we will vote favorably.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.
  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to be permitted to 
yield myself 10 minutes of the time of Senator Dorgan.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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