[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 13 (Wednesday, January 31, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S835-S836]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   DEBATE ON THE ASHCROFT NOMINATION

  Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I also wish to bring to the attention of 
my colleagues the fact we had significant debate on this last night. 
Senator Sessions did an outstanding job in making his presentation. I 
encourage colleagues to review his statements and encourage all 
colleagues who wish to speak on this nomination to come to the floor 
early and make their statements so we can confirm John Ashcroft, or 
have a vote on his confirmation by tomorrow.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, if I could ask my colleague to yield for a 
brief interruption.
  Mr. NICKLES. I yield.
  Mr. REID. Thank you, Mr. President. I thank my friend from Oklahoma. 
I know how important his statement is. I know how much of a tragedy the 
State of Oklahoma and everyone in the country suffered.
  But I did want to say before we left the floor that we agree with the 
Senator that the debate should go forward in full flow, and I say to 
the Democratic Senators within the sound of my voice, this could be a 
very late night. We have a lot of people on the Democratic side who 
want to speak on this

[[Page S836]]

nomination. They are going to have that opportunity.
  We did not do as much talking as probably should have taken place 
last night. We completed our work at 7 o'clock. We expected to go to 9. 
I think tonight we will go at least until 9 or 10 o'clock.
  I say to Democratic Senators, they should be prepared because there 
may not be a tomorrow. I know there are efforts around here to move 
this forward. We have completed 14 of the 15 nominations that had been 
sent to us by the President, which is a record-setting pace. We want to 
move forward on the Ashcroft nomination as quickly as we can. We hope 
it does not have to go into next week. We will need cooperation from 
the Republican side. We are going to do the best we can to have 
somebody in place just as quickly as we can.
  I, again, apologize for interrupting my friend, but I appreciate his 
allowing me to do so.
  Mr. NICKLES. I appreciate my colleague's comments. I echo that. I 
encourage all Senators who wish to speak on the Ashcroft nomination to 
come to the floor earlier today, rather than later today. It was a 
little regrettable because I think both leaders had stated publicly we 
intended to be in session late last night for this nomination. But we 
could not get additional speakers so we adjourned earlier than planned. 
I thank my friend and colleague from Nevada.
  I might also add when he said we moved forward expeditiously, I am 
pleased we have confirmed all but one nominee. But I might remind my 
colleagues, 8 years ago every Clinton nominee was confirmed by January 
22, unanimously, by voice--every single one. The only one that was not 
was the Attorney General, and the reason for that was that the Clinton 
administration had withdrawn a couple of nominees. The eventual nominee 
for Attorney General, Janet Reno, was confirmed 98-0 after very short 
debate.
  I just make those points to clarify the record. Eight years ago 
Congress moved very expeditiously to confirm all nominees. All were 
confirmed by January 21--by voice vote, I might add. The only recorded 
vote was Janet Reno and that was 98-0.

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