Rob Andrews: “I think virtually everyone on our side of the aisle in this Chamber would agree that if the President wants to submit a…”

“I think virtually everyone on our side of the aisle in this Chamber would agree that if the President wants to submit a treaty, he has to follow the Constitution to get it approved. I think all of us should agree that if the President wants to implement a so-called executive agreement not subject to treaty confirmation that we should vigorously exercise our power of the purse and our oversight authority to make sure that that's in the best interest of the American people, and if it's not, we shouldn't fund it, as the Constitution gives us the prerogative. The problem with this amendment is, if it's said that we call on the President to give us complete information about what's going on between us and Russia, I would vote for it; but I can't vote for an amendment that has findings that are hearsay at best and inaccurate at worst. But the word ``finding'' in the operation of this institution implies that there's been a sober, thorough, and factual inquiry as to what's gone on. These findings are pure hearsay. They say that certain Members have read newspaper articles. Well, that's interesting, but that's not a finding. It then characterizes--characterizes--the President as trading away for the prospect of nuclear arms reductions certain weapons system or defense systems.…”