[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 20, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E77-E78]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


       HOUSE CONSIDERATION OF H. RES. 611--IMPEACHMENT RESOLUTION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. WILLIAM J. COYNE

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 19, 1999

  Mr. COYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this 
resolution, to these articles of impeachment, and to these unfair, 
partisan proceedings which deny Members the right to vote on the 
alternative of censure.
  Mr. Speaker, we are all disappointed by the President's actions. The 
President himself has admitted that he acted improperly and then misled 
the public, his family, his staff, and others about those actions.
  This debate today, however, is not simply about whether the President 
did something wrong, or even whether he did something illegal. Rather, 
the issue before us today is what, if any, action Congress should take 
in response. Specifically, the Members of the House are being asked 
whether we believe that President Clinton's actions were so egregious 
that he should be impeached and removed from office. I do not believe 
that these misdeeds merit impeachment.
  Impeachment is a statement by Congress that the President is unable 
to carry out the responsibilities of his office, or that he cannot be 
trusted to do so. The Constitution specifies ``Treason, Bribery, or 
other high Crimes and Misdemeanors'' as the proper grounds for 
impeachment. Impeachment, by removing the nation's highest elected 
official, nullifies a vote made by the American people--in President 
Clinton's case twice--and I believe that it should only be undertaken 
in the most dire of circumstances. Impeachment has historically been 
understood to be an option that should only be exercised when 
continuation of the President in office presents a clear and serious 
threat to our nation or our constitutional form of government. I do not 
believe that the President's offenses reach the threshold for 
impeachment.
  Rather, I believe that censure of the President by the House and 
Senate is a more appropriate punishment. Censure would reflect for all 
time Congress and the public's disapproval of the President's behavior, 
and it would balance the need to punish the President with the public's 
desire to have him finish out his term.
  Some have suggested that censure would allow the president to escape 
punishment for his misdeeds. That isn't the case. Others argue that 
censure of President Clinton, like the censure of President Andrew 
Jackson, could be overturned and would therefore be meaningless. To 
them, I can only observe that Americans are not fools. I believe that 
Americans in coming years will judge President Clinton, as well as the 
Members of the 105th Congress, wisely and with the perspective that 
only time can bring to this contentious issue. Let us hope that each of 
us here today will be able to meet history's more objective scrutiny.
  Consequently, I will vote today against impeachment. It is 
unfortunate and unfair that my colleagues and I will not be given the 
opportunity to vote on a censure motion. I believe that we should have 
that choice. The Republican leadership is apparently afraid that a 
number of their Members, if given the opportunity, would vote for 
censure and against impeachment.
  I will vote in favor of any procedural motions to allow a vote on 
censure, but I have little hope that such efforts will prevail. The 
majority leadership has made it known that all Republicans must support 
procedural votes on impeachment and censure, and that they will face 
serious repercussions if they do not toe the line. That is unfortunate. 
Every Member should be allowed to freely vote his or her conscience on 
an important question like this.

[[Page E78]]

  History will long remember what we do here today. These may be the 
most significant votes that we ever cast. They may be the votes by 
which many of us are remembered, and they will likely define our own 
individual legacies as well as the President's. I urge my colleagues to 
bear that in mind when they vote today.

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