August 2, 1994 - Part 11
August 2, 1994 - Part 11
(23:50:50) The CHAIRMAN. If I may say and I want to make sure everybody has a chance to be beard so they may cover the ground they have need to cover Senator GRAMM. Mr. Chairman, may I address that issue? The CHAIRMAN. All right, then I'll make my statement after you. Senator GRAMM. I have, of course like everybody else, sat here all day. I have about 6 more major questions that I think are relevant on ground that has not yet been plowed, in my opinion, or certainly has not been seeded. My suggestion is this: Why don't we let Mr. Altman go home in the name of human decency and also allow ourselves to go home, and why don't we go ahead with our hearing tomorrow. Let him go ahead with his hearing and then when our bearings are finished, let's have him come back. The CHAIRMAN. Well Mr. ALTMAN. I'd prefer not to do that, Senator Gramm. If you want to stay here until 7 a.m., I'll be sitting right in this chair. Senator MOSELEY-BRAuN. And so will 1, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. And so will I, Mr. Altman. I think we've got to go ahead and conclude this. I will say in my own view, and I don't dispute at all the fact that Senator Gramm has 6 more areas that he wants to go over, but I do think we're reaching the point where a lot of what we're discussing is repetitive. In other words, I think a person coming along and reading the record will find that a lot of what has been said has been said more than 1 2 3, or 4 times. who That's all right up to a point, but I think because those of us are still here have been here the whole time, we should use the remaining time to break new ground and not just rehash where we've been. I think there is a point where it sort of borders on a trespass on what really is appropriate to the situation. I want to stay here to get the information that we need and I will do so. I'll protect every Senator's right to get the information that we need. Mr. Altman-if you'll permit me to finish-Mr. Altman has said he'll stay here as ]on as it takes, I'm prepared to do that but I would just ask each Senator to take a look at that 527 question. We're all able to make that judgment and I'm sure well make good judgments in that regard. Senator Sarbanes. Senator SARBANES. Mr. Chairman, perhaps we can do it during the break through discussion amongst ourselves and get some sense of how much time Members think they'll need. Well have some sense then, when Mr. Altman returns, of what we're facing. We did this last night with Ms. Hanson. I think the end result of it was we were able then to move along with the bearing and finally bring it to a conclusion with everyone satisfied that they'd had a chance to make their inquiries. The CHAIRMAN. Senator Bennett. Senator BENNETT. As I said last night, I have 5 minutes roughly and they are all items that have not been discusseduntil now. I'll comments on stuff that's already been said The CHAIRMAN. Senator Domenici. Senator DOMENICI. Five. The CHAIRMAN. Five minutes for you or 5 questions? Senator DOMENICI. Five minutes. The CHAIRMAN. Senator Faircloth. Senator FAIRCLOTH. I think 5 minutes. The CHAIRMAN. Five minutes will do it for you? Senator Mack. Senator MACK. I suspect that would be enough. The CHAIRMAN. Probably 5 minutes for Senator Mack. How much for you, Senator Gramm? Senator GRAMM. It bard for me to say.. If we could get nice concise answers, I think it would be pretty quick. Senator BOXER. I need 5 minutes. Senator MOSELEY-BRAUN. Five minutes, also. The CHAIRMAN. Five minutes here. Senator DODD. That's about 7 a.m., I think. The CHAIRMAN. No, I don't think it has to be. If Members say the can do it in 5 minutes, I think they'll make a good faith effort to do so. Senator DODD. Senators can't clear their throats in 5 minutes. The CHAIRMAN. Well, that's true, but last night we ran into this same situation and we got to this point, people were able to start to wind it up. And I trust to people to do that now. I think if Senator Domenici says 5 minutes, it will be pretty darn close to 5 minutes and Senator Bennett and the rest. So let's just proceed on that basis and we'll take a 10-minute break now. We'll resume in 10 minutes and then we'll see if we can't finish. (23:55:00) [The Committee stands in recess.]