[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8430]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    AUTHORIZING LEGAL REPRESENTATION

  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 485, submitted earlier 
today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 485) to authorize representation by 
     the Senate Legal Counsel in the case of Common Cause, et al 
     v. Joseph R. Biden, et al.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. 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 any statements 
related to the resolution be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 485) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 485

       Whereas, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., the Vice President of the 
     United States; Nancy Erickson, Secretary of the Senate; 
     Terrance W. Gainer, Senate Sergeant at Arms; and Elizabeth 
     MacDonough, Senate Parliamentarian, have been named as 
     defendants in the case of Common Cause, et al. v. Joseph R. 
     Biden, et al., No. 1:12cv00775, now pending in the United 
     States District Court for the District of Columbia;
       Whereas, pursuant to sections 703(a) and 704(a)(1) of the 
     Ethics in Government Act of 1978, 2 U.S.C. Sec. Sec.  288b(a) 
     and 288c(a)(1), the Senate may direct its counsel to defend 
     officers and employees of the Senate in civil actions 
     relating to their official responsibilities: Now therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate Legal Counsel is authorized to 
     represent Joseph R. Biden, Jr., the Vice President of the 
     United States; Nancy Erickson, Secretary of the Senate; 
     Terrance W. Gainer, Senate Sergeant at Arms; and Elizabeth 
     MacDonough, Senate Parliamentarian, in the case of Common 
     Cause, et al. v. Joseph R. Biden, et al.

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