[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 17735]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                AUTHORIZING TESTIMONY BY SENATE EMPLOYEE

  Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 162 submitted earlier 
today by Senators Lott and Daschle.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 162) to authorize the testimony of 
     employee of the Senate in State of New Mexico v. Felix Lucero 
     Chavez.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to 
the resolution be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 162) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 162

       Whereas, in the case of State of New Mexico v. Felix Lucero 
     Chavez, No. CR 4646-99, pending in the Metropolitan Court for 
     Bernalillo County, New Mexico, a subpoena has been served on 
     Kristen Ludecke, an employee of the Senate;
       Whereas, by the privileges of the Senate of the United 
     States and Rule XI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, no 
     evidence under the control or in the possession of the Senate 
     may, by the judicial process, be taken from such control or 
     possession but by permission of the Senate;
       Whereas, when it appears that evidence under the control or 
     in the possession of the Senate may promote the 
     administration of justice, the Senate will take such action 
     as will promote the ends of justice consistently with the 
     privileges of the Senate: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That Kristen Ludecke is authorized to testify in 
     the case of State of New Mexico v. Felix Lucero Chavez, 
     except concerning matters for which a privilege should be 
     asserted.

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, this resolution concerns a request for 
testimony in a criminal action brought by the State of New Mexico 
against a resident of Bernalillo County. The State charges that, during 
an attempt by the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department and juvenile 
probation office to execute a bench warrant for the arrest of a 
juvenile, as part of a law enforcement program called ``Operation Night 
Light,'' the defendant created a public disturbance and obstructed the 
Sheriff's deputies.
  An employee on Senator Bingaman's staff, Kristen Ludecke, was 
accompanying the Senator the night of this incident on a ride-along 
with the Sheriff's Department to observe the Operation Night Light 
program. The Sheriff's Department is requesting that Ms. Ludecke 
testify at the hearing in this case, scheduled for August 2, about what 
she observed during the ride-along.
  This resolution would accordingly authorize Ms. Ludecke to testify in 
this matter.

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