Peter Blute: “Mr. Chairman, I think those of us in the majority have a great deal of respect and admiration for the gentleman from…”

“Mr. Chairman, I think those of us in the majority have a great deal of respect and admiration for the gentleman from Virginia. He is an able member of the Government Reform and Oversight Committee and adds a lot to the debate on that committee and did on this particular issue which was dealt with extensively in the committee. We join him in believing in an independent judiciary. We do think that his amendment puts the judiciary on a higher plane than the other branches of Government, and in so doing tilts the balance of power toward one branch. The Founders clearly wanted a system of checks and balance where each branch would be able to counteract the excesses of the other branches, and they particularly wanted that to happen when two branches got together on something, as the gentleman's amendment is putting forward. The Founders dealt with this particular issue and decided that only salaries--only salaries would be cordoned off and protected in the Constitution, but that everything else would be in play in terms of our system of checks and balances. They did that, I think, in a narrow way for a very good reason, that the judiciary is not above scrutiny, is not above the checks and balances that we seek in our system of Government. This bill does not change the Budget and Accounting Act.”