[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 14580]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               AUTHORIZING TESTIMONY OF SENATE EMPLOYEES

  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 601, submitted 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 601) to authorize testimony of Senate 
     employees in a grand jury proceeding in the District of 
     Columbia.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, this resolution would authorize employees in 
the office of Senator John Ensign to respond to subpoenas or requests 
for testimony by a Federal grand jury convened in the District of 
Columbia to investigate matters relating to Senator Ensign. The Senator 
would like to cooperate with this request. This resolution would 
authorize the Senator's staff to testify in these or related 
proceedings, except where a privilege should be asserted.
  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or 
debate, 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. 601) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 601

       Whereas, in a proceeding before a grand jury of the United 
     States District Court for the District of Columbia testimony 
     has been sought from employees of the office of Senator John 
     Ensign;
       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 consistent with the 
     privileges of the Senate, now, therefore be it
       Resolved, That current or former employees of Senator John 
     Ensign's office are authorized to testify in the grand jury 
     proceeding or any related proceeding, except concerning 
     matters for which a privilege should be asserted.

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