Dale Bumpers: “I intend to support the McConnell-Johnston-Inouye amendment. It is a rather tough decision from a political point, and I…”

“I intend to support the McConnell-Johnston-Inouye amendment. It is a rather tough decision from a political point, and I had not made up my mind until I heard the Senator from Kentucky make his presentation yesterday afternoon, which I thought was excellent. The two or three things he said that resonated with me were: First, I feel that both the Wellstone and Levin amendments are impossibly complex. Second, they lay a minefield, which will almost certainly entrap some innocent Senators. And, third, as I say, I think it trivializes the Senate to be engaged in a debate, for example, as the Senator from Kentucky said, about whether you can have a donut with coffee, or is the donut really a bagel. The Ethics Committee, in my opinion, because of the tremendous number of unanswered questions about these amendments would probably have to hire about 10 more people, as the Senator from Kentucky said, and would become a clearinghouse for almost supercilious and silly questions. Any Senator that is not prepared to read the headlines in tomorrow's paper, should the McConnell-Johnston amendment be adopted, that says 'Senate Refuses to Give up Free Meals,' should not vote for the McConnell amendment.”