[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 17 (Thursday, February 2, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S288]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             THE STOCK ACT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I think it is pretty clear at this 
point that there is broad bipartisan support for legislation that 
provides greater transparency in Congress. The more important question 
at this point is whether the executive branch is willing to play by the 
same rules. I mean, I think a lot of people out there want to know why 
a venture capitalist who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for 
the President, only to end up overseeing the administration's green 
energy loan program, should not be held to the same high standard as 
others. Shouldn't the President's Chief of Staff be held to the same 
standard as a legislative director to a freshman Senator?
  Let's be honest, people are equally, if not more, concerned about the 
kind of cronyism they keep reading about over at the White House and 
within the executive branch agencies such as the Department of Energy 
that it controls. There is no question that Congress should be held to 
a high standard, but if we are going to pass new standards here, the 
same standards should apply to the White House and to the executive 
agencies that spend hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayer money 
at the President's direction.
  That leads to a larger point, which is this: As long as the White 
House and the agencies it controls continue to play favorites, this 
economy will never fully recover and the playing field won't ever be 
level. As long as Washington has this much say over the direction of 
the economy, people won't ever feel they are getting a fair shake. So, 
yes, let's hold Congress to a high standard, but the White House must 
be held to the very same standard.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Brown of Ohio). Without objection, it is 
so ordered.
  Mr. GRAHAM. I ask unanimous consent to speak in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. GRAHAM. Please let me know when 5 minutes elapses. I will try to 
keep my comments short.

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