Ernest Istook: “although I have, frankly, a great amount of sympathy for the amendment offered by the gentleman from Colorado (Mr.…”

“although I have, frankly, a great amount of sympathy for the amendment offered by the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Hefley) and I think there is a need for us to do something regarding the accounts of former Presidents, I do not believe this amendment is the way to do it, because I believe we need to lay a groundwork and to do whatever we might accomplish through an understanding between the Congress and the offices of the former Presidents. These accounts were established, of course, back in the years when former Presidents did not have a stipend, did not have very huge speaking fees and other sources of revenue, and played a very different role than they do today. I think there are some things that we can accomplish in having some savings, but I believe that comity between the executive and the legislative branches requires that we try to do that in an orderly fashion and lay a groundwork with former Presidents, rather than try to change the ground rules that we have followed for many years arbitrarily. So, therefore, despite my sympathy for it, I do urge a ``no'' vote on the amendment by the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Hefley).”