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Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Senate Resolution 91 submitted earlier today by Senators Lott and Daschle.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows.
A resolution (S. Res. 91) to authorize the production of records by the Select Committee on Intelligence.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate consideration of the resolution?
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, the Select Committee on Intelligence has received a request from the inspector general of the Department of Justice for copies of certain committee records relevant to the inspector general's pending inquiry into allegations of involvement by the Central Intelligence Agency in crack cocaine trafficking with supporters of the Nicaraguan Contras.
It is anticipated that other Senate committees may receive similar requests for documents in the future.
This resolution would authorize the chairman and vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee, acting jointly, to provide committee records in response to this request, utilizing appropriate security procedures. This resolution would also authorize the chairman and ranking member of other Senate committees, acting jointly, to provide relevant records of such committees in response to similar requests without the necessity of further Senate action.
I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the resolution be placed at the appropriate place in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 91) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, is as follows:
Whereas, the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Justice has requested that the Select Committee on Intelligence provide it with copies of committee records relevant to the Office's pending review of matters related to allegations of Central Intelligence Agency involvement in crack cocaine trafficking with supporters of the Nicaraguan Contras;
Whereas, by the privileges of the Senate of the United States and rule XI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, no evidence under the control or in the possession of the Senate can, by administrative or judicial process, be taken from such control or possession but by permission of the Senate;
Whereas, when it appears that documents, papers, and records under the control or in the possession of the Senate may promote the administration of justice, the Senate will take such action as will promote the ends of justice consistently with the privileges of the Senate; Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the chairman and vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, acting jointly, are authorized to provide to the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Justice or to other government investigators, under appropriate security procedures, copies of committee records related to allegations of Central Intelligence Agency involvement in crack cocaine trafficking with supporters of the Nicaraguan Contras.
Sec. 2. That the chairman and ranking minority member of any other committee of the Senate, acting jointly, are authorized to provide to the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Justice or to other government investigators, under appropriate security procedures, copies of records held by their committee related to allegations of Central Intelligence Agency involvement in crack cocaine trafficking with supporters of the Nicaraguan Contras.
END