MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Representatives Endt, Broomfield, Green (34th), Guice, Hamilton, Maples, Read, Wells-Smith, Chaney

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING SENATE MAJORITY LEADER TRENT LOTT OF MISSISSIPPI FOR HIS LEADERSHIP IN STEERING THE UNITED STATES SENATE THROUGH A HIGHLY PARTISAN IMPEACHMENT TRIAL IN A VERY NONPARTISAN MANNER.

WHEREAS, when the United States House of Representatives approved two articles of impeachment on December 19, 1998, accusing President Bill Clinton of obstruction of justice and perjury, lawmakers set the stage for a Senate trial of the President; and

WHEREAS, the United States Senate had not dealt with the impeachment of a president in 131 years; and

WHEREAS, Senator Trent Lott (Republican-Mississippi) is the Senate Majority Leader, and it was the unenviable responsibility of the Senate leadership to decide how to conduct this trial of the century amid a highly partisan atmosphere in Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, Senator Lott deftly forged agreements with Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (Democrat-South Dakota) to devise procedures to steer the Senate through the impeachment trial, wrestling with some critical procedural issues such as how long an impeachment trial would last and whether witnesses would be called to testify; and

WHEREAS, the Senator admitted that he was relieved when the impeachment trial was finished, and said that future historians would render the final judgment on the players in the process; and

WHEREAS, Senator Lott is to be congratulated for predicting cooperation between the administration and the Republican-led Congress, stating in his own words: "We must move forward on the people's business":

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi for his leadership in steering the United States Senate through a highly partisan impeachment trial in a very nonpartisan manner.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Senator Lott and members of the Capitol Press Corps.