U.S. State Secretaries of State

I am here merely to express my support for the nomination of John Ashcroft to be Attorney General of the United States. I will not fall out with anyone else who differs from my views. As I say, I am not here to debate my views. I know what…

I presume to offer the majority leader a suggestion, what I would do if I were in his place. I would write to the President and urge that no such recess appointment be made, and put it in writing, make a record of it. Furthermore, if I…

I can only see through my own eyes, but I don't consider that to be too long a time to await the appointment of a Federal judgeship or any other office, unless it should be Secretary of Defense or perhaps Secretary of State. But it is…

As we prepare, in these last days, to go home for the Christmas holidays--and I suppose we include New Year's as well, at which time we will go into a new century. To all those who have been a part of perpetrating this colossal hoax on the…

I think we are all aware of the monstrous hoax that has been pulled upon the American people, the hoax that this year was the opening year of the 21st century. This year is the closing year of the 20th century. That is according to the old…

I have been involved in some discussions concerning one of the appropriations bills that remains to be acted on. I was listening to the debate here. I find that we are discussing, are we, the amnesty provision?

We were in very different times, and we were dealing with different personalities. He was a remarkable man, however. I thank the very distinguished senior Senator from New Mexico for his words.

I revere the Senator from New York. He came to the Senate in 1977. He went on the committee. What he has just said astonishes me--that he was asked to leave the room in this Republic-- ``a republic, Madam, if you can keep it.''

I agree, in large measure, with everything the distinguished Senator is saying. I seriously doubt that a lawsuit--I seriously doubt if that would hold up. But anyhow, it is a good thought.

It is far more important for the Senate to engage in thorough debate, and for Senators to have the opportunity to call up amendments, than it is for the Senate to be out of session on Mondays and Fridays. It seems to me that we should be…

Not by the Senator's reasoning, but because it is the 20th century still, until midnight December 31 this year. Regardless of what the media says, regardless of what the politicians say, this year is still in the 20th century.

No, indeed. Never have I hoped that. I would like to have seen a time when Senators didn't want to call up amendments. Maybe I could have gone home earlier. But I have never thought that was a possibility. And I wouldn't hope they would go…

The Senator ought not disagree with me on saying that Senators ought to have an opportunity to call up amendments and that we don't necessarily wish to see clean bills sent to the President. I didn't want to see a clean trade bill sent to…

I have never denied that. The point is that the CRs were called up on the floor, they were debated, and they were amended freely. That is what I am talking about. The Senate had the opportunity to work its will even if those bills, two or…

Except this: The Senator says we hope they can go to the President clean. I don't hope that.

The Senator--my distinguished friend from Idaho--misses the point. There may be CRs this year. There have been CRs before.

I am looking at the chart, ``Final Status of Appropriation Measures, First Session, 100th Congress.'' That would have been 1987. Every bill was reported. I think I am getting now to the question that the Senator asked. Some of the bills…

Well, my memory, which is not infallible, reminds me that the President of the United States asked for an omnibus bill that year. He didn't want separate bills. Mr. Reagan didn't want separate bills that year. He wanted an omnibus bill. I…

I am complaining about the fact that appropriations bills are brought to the Senate floor, and in many instances Senators don't have the opportunity to offer amendments and have them debated. They don't have the opportunity to debate the…

I have been in the Senate 42 years, and I have never yet spoken of another Senator behind his back in any critical terms--never. I once had a jousting match with former Senator Weicker. He called my name on the floor a few times, and so I…

It is for the public domain, no question about that. But if my name is going to be used by any Senator, I would like to know in advance so that I may be on the floor to hear what he says about me so I may have the opportunity to respond…

It is the way I will always treat Senators. I will never speak ill of the Senator, never criticize the Senator, unless he is on the floor. I would like to be treated the same way.

I will never call the Senator's name in public without his being on the floor. I like to go face to face with anything I have to say about a Senator, and I would appreciate the same treatment.

I thank the Democratic whip. I know he is willing to do just what he says. He wants to cooperate. We have to save this institution. There are Senators in this body who have never seen the institution work as it was meant to work. I will…