Date: 1982-03-03
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. no one in this body is looking forward to consideration of the resolution which is before us today. I would imagine that most of us wish that in such proceedings we could be governed by the rules of ordinary trial practice. For. if that were the case. we might be relieved of our responsiblity to render judgment on the grounds of our acquaintance with the individual involved. However. we have no such luxury in this Chamber. Rather. we are charged by the Constitution of the United States to be the masters of our own House. We. and we alone. are permitted to pass judgment on the question of whether a Member of this body should. or should not be. expelled. And by virtue of that constitutional duty. we are required to cast aside all feeling-. of friendship. collegiality. and camaraderie. We are required to set aside remembrances of differences which may have occurred over the years on matters which have come before us for votes We are obliged to rise above it all. and to render judgment based only upon the facts which are to come before us and the dictates of conscience alone. Our responsibilities are indeed awesome. Rendering judgment on the conduct of a colleague. a peer. and a friend is unpleasant and distasteful. And yet. far beyond the considerations which make this task so difficult is the proud and hallowed institution which is deserving of such an exceptional responsiblityAn institution which demands that we bring to it the very best that each of us has to offer. An institution which for almost two centuries has withstood the tests of time: through the good times and the bad. through peace and through war. through darkness and through light. An Institution which has come to symbolize to millions of people the very best system which the human mind has yet been able to design to insure the freedom and dignity of humankind. The U.S. Senate as an irstitution is far more important than any of us as Individuals. It Is a sum whose total is larger than Its parts. It was here before we arrived. and it will survive us after we have gone. But the character of this body. its respect by the Nation and the world. its inner splendor and grandeur. have been and always will be the continuing responsibility of all the Members who are priviledged to serve here. We are the guardians of this ancient and magnificent heritage. We. for the people. are. the keepers of the flame. and so. like it or not. it is our task to rise above party. .above friendship. above prejudice and petty bias. and to bring to our deliberations and to our consideration of this resolution the very best of which we are capable. to setaside any prejudgments we may have entertained. and to render a final vote based upon the entirety of the record which shall come before us. We owe it not only to our colleague. Senator WILLIAMS. but also to the Senate as an institution and to the people of our country to be attentive to all the facts. to listen to all of the debate. and to raise whatever questions about this case that may come to mind as the matter proceeds. The distinguished majority leader and I are in agreement that the committees of the Senate should not meet during the pendency of this resolution so that every Member may be present on the floor throughout our consideration of this matter. I urge my colleagues to attend to this deliberation with an open mind and with the full attentiveness which this matter deserves. I express my commendations and my appreciation to the Senators on the Ethics Committee. the chairman. and the ranking member. Theirs has been a very difficult task. and yet they have performed it with dedication. Our responsibility requires that we give the best of our thoughts. our brains. and our hearts to the deliberations that are now about to begin. Mr. President. I yield the time that is under my control to Mr. INOUYE.