[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 119 (Tuesday, September 14, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H8156]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WACO

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, in 1993, the tragedy in Waco, Texas left 
many unanswered questions for Congress and the American public. One 
question remains, of course. What happened? Where does the 
responsibility lie?
  In 1993, in April, Attorney General Janet Reno said, quote, ``The 
buck stops with me,'' end quote. She took responsibility then for the 
Waco tragedy, but of course, now, it is shifting blame. Where is her 
responsibility for the information supplied to Congress and the 
American people?
  It was reported in the Washington Times that the Justice Department 
omitted in its December 1993 report to Congress the one key page of 
information quote, ``documenting the use of 40 millimeter tear gas 
project tiles at Waco,'' end quote. Now, it appears the Justice 
Department is saying they gave this information 2 years later, in 1995.
  This latest revelation and other ones that will probably follow are 
just an indication that the Justice Department is not handling this 
situation well. There is incompetency in her department, and much of 
the information provided is not accurate. So I urge my colleagues to 
look at this question of responsibility and help us to get to the 
bottom of this matter.
  Attorney General Reno should take full responsibility and not try to 
shift blame.

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