William Hughes: “I rise in opposition to the Gekas amendment. I realize that an increasing number of our colleagues find that there is…”

“I rise in opposition to the Gekas amendment. I realize that an increasing number of our colleagues find that there is political mileage in attacking the institution of which they are Members, and maligning their colleagues. Like the American officer in Vietnam who uttered the explanation, "It was necessary to destroy the village in order to save it," some of our colleagues believe that they must destroy this institution in order to get control of it. This amendment is based on that premise. Proponents of the amendment argue that the present law and the bill before us is another example of Congress passing laws for everyone else, and carving out an exception for themselves. The facts are that the independent counsel law and the bill before us do create some special exceptions, but there is no such exception for Members of Congress. The special exception is for the President, Vice President, members of the President's Cabinet and officials of comparable rank, high ranking members of the White House staff, and key operatives of the President's reelection efforts.”