[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 142 (Saturday, October 10, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2025]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AUTHORIZING THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER 
   SUFFICIENT GROUNDS EXIST FOR THE IMPEACEMENT OF WILLIAM JEFFERSON 
                CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. MAJOR R. OWENS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 8, 1998

  Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, on the occasion of the historic vote to 
launch an impeachment inquiry I have joined with the overwhelming 
majority of Democrats to vote for an alternative compromise. This 
action has allowed us to avoid destructive fragmentation and continue 
our united leadership of the majority of Americans. At the end of this 
statement I will attach my original position on this matter which 
remains as my present position. We are dealing with sins, not high 
crimes and misdemeanors. Government should not invade the jurisdiction 
of religion and the clergy.
  Leadership for a difficult and thorny national situation is the 
challege faced by minority Democrats who can do nothing to completely 
halt the abuses of the Republican majority. Despite the Democratic 
alternative, an impeachment process that is highly partisan and vicious 
will go forward. But now the Republicans can never say that they have 
bi-partisan support. Joining with fellow Democrats I voted for an 
alternative compromise in order to continue the process of cementing 
our position with that of the majority of Americans. I wanted to 
personally just say no; to drop the impeachment inquiry. Reluctantly I 
left the highest ground; however, the Democractic compromise call for 
time limits and scope limits on the Judiciary Committee process still 
represents high ground. On October 8th the record will show that 
Democrats sacrificed some credibility in order to contribute to a 
resolution of this damaging political crisis. Every reasonable American 
citizen should feel comfortable with our position of reconciliation. We 
could have just said no. But our leadership guidance message was: 
``limit the scope and limit the time.'' The vital business of the 
country is waiting.

            Previous Statement Released on September 8, 1998

       As a member of Congress I am sorry that there is an 
     escalating hysteria that may lead to the religious lynching 
     of a great president. President Clinton has gone further than 
     he should have been asked to go in offering a public 
     statement about his intimate personal life. In view of the 
     fact that absolutely on one has charged that a national 
     security issue is involved in this matter, all further 
     government inquiries should be dropped. The nation has in no 
     way been placed at risk. Certainly nothing took place which 
     touched on bribery, treason, or high crimes and misdemeanors. 
     For those who continue to expand their detailed probe and to 
     pass judgement through the prism of their hypocritical 
     Victorian values, we concede their right to wallow in their 
     ``Peyton Place'' preoccupations. There is, however, a 
     profound difference between crimes and sins. It is of utmost 
     importance that we acknowledge and support the spirit of our 
     Constitution which discourages the state from investigating 
     private morality and affirms the right of every American, 
     even the President, to separately negotiate his sins with his 
     God.

     

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