Selected U.S. Senate Proceedings and Debates on Government Accountability, 1965-1976

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Watergate

  • Senator Mondale expresses concern over President Nixon's refusal to hand over tapes to the Special Prosecutor. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (July 30, 1973): 26574.
  • Senator Mondale gives a speech, "The Presidency and Watergate: An Agenda for Reform," regarding the need for change in the institution of the Presidency, the need for cooperation between the executive and legislative branches, and the need for legislation that will hold the branches of government accountable. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (September 17, 1973): 29815-29818.
  • Senator Mondale joins several other senators in introducing S. 2611, a bill establishing an independent special prosecutor. The bill is placed on the Senate calendar in July 1974 under Subjects on the Table. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (October 26, 1973): 35076.
  • Senator Mondale reacts to the "Saturday Night Massacre," in which "the President caused Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox to be fired; Attorney General Elliot Richardson resigned because he would not fire Cox; and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus was also fired for refusing to fire Cox." 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (November 30, 1973): 38994-38996.
  • Senator Mondale introduces Amendment No. 899 to S. 2611; the amendment gives the Special Prosecutor sole rights to dismiss his own staff; Senator Mondale argued that this amendment was necessary in order to protect the staff from attacks from the White House. The bill is placed on the Senate calendar in July 1974 under Subjects on the Table. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (December 13, 1973): 41396.
  • Senator Mondale discusses President Nixon's refusal to cooperate with the House Judiciary Committee in its impeachment inquiry; he stresses the need for the House to overcome the obstacles created by the President and fulfill its duty to impeach him: "There is only one way to hold a sitting President accountable. And a President must be accountable. It rests with the House of Representatives to hold the President accountable. When we denigrate impeachment, we denigrate a device which the framers regarded as essential to a republican form of government. When we ignore impeachment, we ignore an important element in our system of checks and balances. When we allow impeachment to be frustrated by Presidential fiat, we frustrate the Constitution." 93rd Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 120 (June 3, 1974): 17316-17317.
  • Senator Mondale expresses disappointment in Vice President Ford's defense of President Nixon's actions: "Mr. Ford has many complicated roles to play right now. He is an important member of his party; he is a popular figure; he is a possible Presidential candidate in 1976; he is a former Member of Congress with great influence among his former colleagues; he is an antidote to the sagging spirits of America. But, more important than anything else, he is a person who might ascend to the Presidency through impeachment and removal, or resignation, of the President. This is his most important role. This is his most historical role. Gerald Ford must preserve his ability to fill this critical role." 93rd Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 120 (June 6, 1974): 17981-17982.
  • Senator Mondale expresses outrage at President Nixon's refusal to obey the courts: "Whatever the President's motives may be, his conduct strikes a hammer-blow to an already shattered public confidence in our Government. His unwillingness to submit himself, in advance, to obedience causes many to doubt whether our system of justice remains strong, whether there are differing systems of justice for the mighty and the weak, and whether the fabric of our constitutional structure can stand the strain." 93rd Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 120 (July 23, 1974): 24721.
  • President Nixon resigns August 9, 1974. 93rd Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 120 (August 9, 1974).
  • Senator Mondale calls President Ford's pardon of former President Nixon "an unfair, unfortunate and unethical act toward the American people and toward our system of justice," "the ultimate cover-up" and "the ultimate injustice." 93rd Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 120 (September 11, 1974): 30747-30749.
  • Upset by President Ford's pardon of former President Nixon, Senator Mondale introduces Senate Joint Resolution 241, granting Congress the power to override a Presidential pardon: "I believe the amendment will fulfill the vision of the framers, provide a much-needed check to an unchecked power, and insure that the actions of the past several days not occur again." 93rd Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 120 (September 18, 1974): 31551-31552.
  • Senator Mondale, with Senator Brooke (R-MA), introduces Senate Joint Resolution 246, directing the Special Prosecutor to fully investigate President Nixon's involvement in the Watergate affair. The measure is referred to the Committee on Judiciary. 93rd Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 120 (September 30, 1974): 32846.

Balance of Power

  • The Senate debates S. 440, a bill to make rules governing the use of the Armed Forces of the United States in the absence of a declaration of war by Congress (introduced in January by Senator Javits, D-NY). The bill passes and is referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (July 20, 1973): 25093- 25120. (Mondale at 25116)
  • Senator Mondale introduces Senate Joint Resolution 153, calling for a commission to make recommendations which would help restore the balance of power between the executive and legislative branches of government. The measure is referred to the Committee on Government Operations. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (September 17, 1973): 29835-29836.
  • Senator Mondale introduces S. 2569, a bill establishing an Office of Congressional Legal Counsel: "I firmly believe that only if we have an Office of Congressional Legal Counsel within the Congress will we be able to fully use the potential of the judicial branch in reestablishing an equality of power between the Congress and the Executive." The bill is referred to the Committee on Government Operations. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (October 11, 1973): 33796-33798.
  • The House and Senate override President Nixon's veto of House Joint Resolution 542, requiring the President to submit a report to Congress within 48 hours after introducing U.S. armed forces into an area; Senator Mondale argues, "This bill will do much to restore the faith of the American people in both the Congress and the executive that war policies are not being conducted in clandestine remoteness, but openly, and within the spirit of our Nation's Constitution." The measure becomes Public Law 93-148. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (November 7, 1973): 36175-36198. (Mondale at 36195)

Government Structure and Transparency

  • Senator Mondale introduces S. 3888, a bill to establish a new commission to review the overall federal structure in order to improve government efficiency and effectiveness; his bill calls for the appointment of a new commission every 10 years. The bill is referred to the Committee on Government Operations. 89th Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 112 (October 7, 1966): 25715-25718.
  • Senator Mondale submits S. Res. 79, authorizing the Senate Committee on Government Operations "to study the revenue sources of state and local units of government and of the Federal Government to determine whether those sources are properly allocated for meeting local and national goals." The measure is referred to the Committee on Government Operations. 90th Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 113 (February 2, 1967): 2303-2304.
  • In accordance with his support for full financial disclosure, Senator Mondale submits his financial statement of his estimated worth and expenses. 91st Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 116 (January 30, 1970): 1994.
  • In accordance with his support for full financial disclosure, Senator Mondale submits a financial statement of his estimated worth and expenses. 92nd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 117 (February 17, 1971): 2873.
  • In accordance with his support for full financial disclosure, Senator Mondale submits his financial statement of his estimated worth and expenses. 92nd Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 118 (January 26, 1972): 1355.
  • In accordance with his support for full financial disclosure, Senator Mondale submits a financial statement of his estimated worth and expenses. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (January 23, 1973): 1998.
  • Senator Mondale introduces S. 1392, the "Budget Control Act," a bill to establish a ceiling on expenditures for the fiscal year 1974: "The legislation which I am introducing today is designed to guarantee the financial responsibility of the Federal Government, to restore the Congress to its proper role in public decision making, and to reestablish the conditions for a full and equal dialog between Congress and the executive branch regarding the future of American domestic policy." The bill is referred to the Committee on Government Operations. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (March 27, 1973): 9634, 9647-9652.
  • Senator Mondale introduces Senate Resolution 123, calling for "both Congress and Cabinet officers and agency heads [to keep] in better touch with one another;" the resolution would request heads of executive departments and agencies to answer oral and written questions from members of the Senate once a week when the Senate is in session, thus making them more accountable to Congress. The measure is referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (June 4, 1973): 17870-17871.
  • Senator Mondale adds an amendment to S. 372 requiring full disclosure on contributions over $100 to a campaign. The bill passes the Senate and is referred to the House Committee on House Administration. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (July 26, 1973): 26085-26090.
  • Senator Javits (R-NY) submits, for himself and Senator Mondale, an amendment to S. 1541 (introduced in April by Senator Ervin, D-NC) providing for the reform of congressional expenditures and the national debt, to create a budget committee in each House, and to create a congressional office of the budget. The bill is placed on the Senate calendar in March 1974 under Subjects on the Table. H.R. 7130 passed in lieu of S. 1541. It becomes Public Law 93-344 in July 1974. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (August 3, 1973): 27882-27884.
  • Senator Mondale introduces an amendment to H.R. 9590 (introduced in July by Representative Steed, D-OK), cutting the appropriation for the Domestic Council from $1.1 million to $350,000: "This is more than just a matter of money. It is a question of the relationship between the executive and legislative branches of the Government, and more fundamentally it is a question of whether we have learned from Watergate the essentiality of forcing executive decisions out into the open again and into the public forum, so that such decisions must respond to the fact-finding processes of Congress, and in an environment where the traditional executive agencies are once again empowered to administer the laws and are made responsive to the public and to Congress." Senator Mondale withdraws his amendment. The bill passes. It becomes Public Law 93-143 in October. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (September 5, 1973): 28543-28565. (Mondale at 28552)
  • Senator Mondale submits Amendment No. 601, the Congressional Budget Control and Reform Act of 1973, in the nature of a substitute to S. 1541; the amendment, he argues, "will preserve the establishment of a strong and binding spending ceiling without weakening the appropriations process," whereas "enactment of [S. 1541 and H.R. 7130] would be a tragic mistake. Far from increasing the effectiveness of the Congress, these bills would place unprecedented authority in the hands of a single committee, weaken the appropriations process, and in doing so severely weaken the opportunity of individual Senators and Congressmen to represent their constituents on the floor of the House and Senate." 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (October 3, 1973): 32679-32685.
  • Senator Mondale adds several cosponsors to Amendment No. 651, an amendment to H.R. 11104, the Debt Ceiling Act (introduced in the House in October by Representative Ullman, D-OR); Senator Long (D-LA) submits Senator Kennedy's (D-MA) testimony before the Finance Committee. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (November 15, 1973): 37374-37376.
  • Senator Mondale submits his personal financial statement. 93rd Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 120 (April 2, 1974): 9230.
  • Senate debate on the President's veto of H.R. 12471, the Freedom of Information Act amendments (introduced in the House in January by Representative Moorhead, D-PA and passed in May in the Senate in lieu of S. 2543); Senator Mondale argues, "Only 3 months ago, President Ford came into office on the heels of the most secretive and repressive administration in our history. His pledge was to open up Government and make it more responsive to the people. And yet the President, while espousing the rhetoric of openness has chosen to implement the policy of secrecy through his veto of this legislation." The Senate votes to override President Ford's veto. The bill becomes Public Law 93-502. 93rd Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 120 (November 21, 1974): 36865-36882. (Mondale at 36879)
  • Senator Mondale introduces Senate Resolution 136, encouraging dialogue between Congress and officials in the executive branch; the resolution would establish a question and report period in which heads of executive departments and agencies would be requested to appear before Members of the Senate; this resolution is similar to Senate Resolution 123 that he introduced June 4, 1973. The measure is referred to Committee on Rules and Administration. 94th Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 121 (April 23, 1975): 11375-11376.
  • Senator Mondale submits his personal financial statement. 94th Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 121 (April 23, 1975): 11414-11415.
  • Senator Mondale introduces S. 2392, closing "the loophole which now permits presidential policy impoundments to cripple programs the Congress desires to fund." The bill is referred to the Committee on Government Operations. 94th Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 121 (September 23, 1975): 29737-29739.
  • Senator Mondale submits his personal financial statement. 94th Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 122 (April 7, 1976): 9757.

Campaign Finance and Election Reform

  • Senator Mondale argues his opposition to an amendment to S. 1880 to revise the federal election laws (introduced in May by Senator Cannon, D-NV). The bill is passed. 90th Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 113 (September 11, 1967): 25070-25095. Mondale at 25089
  • Senator Mondale introduces S. 1109, putting a $1 check-off for the Presidential Election Campaign Fund on the front page of individual tax forms in order to further the public financing of campaigns; he states, "Public financing of presidential campaigns is the most fundamental and potentially far-reaching election reform adopted in this century. If it works—as I am confident it can work—it will effectively divorce presidential politics from the corrosive influence of big money and special interests." The bill is referred to the Committee on Finance. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (March 6, 1973): 6435, 6500-6502.
  • Senator Mondale introduces S. 1883, a bill to establish an independent Office of Federal Elections to investigate and prosecute violations of federal law occurring in connection with federal elections. The bill is referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (May 23, 1973): 16658, 16703-16704.
  • Submission of amendments to S. 372, the Federal Election Campaign Act (introduced in January by Senator Pastore, D-RI); Senator Mondale's Amendment No. 362 would require full disclosure of campaign contributions over $100. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (July 18, 1973): 24449-24455. (Mondale at 24452)
  • Senator Mondale and Senator Schweiker (R-PA) introduce S. 2238, the "Presidential Campaign Financing Act," providing substantial public financing of Presidential primary and general elections and severely limiting the size of private contributions; Senator Mondale says, "In my judgment, the enactment of our bill--or of one like it--is the single most important election reform that can emerge from Watergate. It is absolutely essential if we are ever to get money off the backs of American politicians and restore integrity and confidence in our political system." The bill is referred to the Committee on Finance. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (July 24, 1973): 25598-25603.
  • Senator Mondale is added as a cosponsor to S. 1103, the Congressional Election Finance Act of 1973 (the "Hart bill"). "The American public," states Senator Mondale, "must understand that if, in the process of learning from Watergate, we do not include as our most essential objective a system of public funding of campaigns, so that it is possible for a man or a woman to run for office and, once elected, to be able to serve his or her constituency in conscience, rather than his or her major contributors—unless we do that, we will have failed, and Watergate will be just the beginning of what we will see in the future, except that it will be worse each time that it arises." The bill is referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (July 25, 1973): 25978-26001.
  • Senator Mondale submits an amendment to S. 372, broadening the bill to "enable it to investigate and prosecute all federal crimes occurring 'in connection with' any federal election." 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (July 26, 1973): 26063.
  • Congressman Fraser (D-MN) submits an article written by Senator Mondale for The Washington Post discussing problems with the current campaign financing system. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (September 18, 1973): 30253-30254.
  • Senator Schweiker (R-PA) submits his and Senator Mondale’s joint statement to the Senate Finance Committee urging congressional action on campaign reform and public financing of campaigns. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (November 19, 1973): 37704.
  • Debate on Amendment No. 651 to H.R. 11104, which draws on a bill Mondale co-wrote; the amendment provides full federal financing for House and Senate elections, and partial federal funding for presidential primaries. Mondale says of the need for public financing, "All of us in public life have known for years what a demeaning, compromising, and sometimes corrupting thing our present system of financing campaigns has become. The system is not getting better; it is getting worse." The bill, as amended, passes the Senate. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (November 27, 1973): 38172-38231. (Mondale at 38183)
  • Debate on H.R. 11104 and the public financing of campaigns; Senator Mondale argues, "Lincoln once said that the American Government was of the people, by the people, and for the people; but, as we have learned from Watergate, increasingly it is getting to be a government of big money, by big money, and for big money." 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (November 30, 1973): 38895-38901. (Mondale at 38899)
  • Further discussion of H.R. 11104 and the public financing of campaigns; Senator Mondale accuses the opposition of a filibuster. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (December 1, 1973): 39056-39060. (Mondale at 39058)
  • Debate on H.R. 11104 and the public financing of campaigns. In response to the irritation of some senators that they are convening on a Sunday, Senator Mondale says, "I think it is appropriate that we meet this morning for the first time in 112 years on a Sabbath morning because I believe what we have before us truly is the Lord's work. If it was necessary once to force the moneychangers out of the temple, it is equally obvious we must chase those who would compromise and corrupt politics and the American political system out of the system this morning and seek to do so by adopting cloture and going on to adopt the underlying measure." Cloture (placing a time limit on the consideration of a bill) is not agreed to. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (December 2, 1973): 39078-39085. (Mondale at 39080)
  • Continued debate on H.R. 11104; another vote for cloture does not pass; contentious debate between Senator Mondale and Senator Allen (D-AL); Senator Allen makes a motion for the final passage of the debt ceiling bill without the public financing of campaigns amendment; the Senator's motion is rejected; the Senate votes to recede from the amendments, thus dropping public financing of campaigns from the bill. The bill becomes Public Law 93-173. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (December 3, 1973): 39160-37179. (Mondale at 39162)
  • Senator Mondale introduces a revised version of S. 2238, the "Mondale-Schweiker Presidential Campaign Financing Act of 1973," which he introduced in July (see Congressional Record 119 (July 24, 1973): 25598). The bill is referred to the Committee on Finance. 93rd Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 119 (December 4, 1973): 39440-39445.
  • Discussion of putting a check-off box on the first page of tax forms to help fund presidential campaigns; includes a statement by Senator Mondale. 93rd Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 120 (February 27, 1974): 4472-4483. (Mondale at 4478)
  • Senator Stevenson (D-IL) introduces S. 3044, the Federal Election Campaign Act Amendments of 1974; cosponsored by Senator Mondale, the amendment eliminates "the large and potentially corrupting contributions of big money from our politics." The debate ends with a vote for cloture. 93rd Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 120 (April 9, 1974): 10340-10354.
  • Senator Mondale expresses his support for S. 3044, campaign finance reform legislation. He is pleased that the bill includes provisions for public financing of presidential campaigns that he and Senator Schweiker (R-PA) had originally sponsored; the Senate agrees to the Conference Report. 93rd Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 120 (October 8, 1974): 34379-34393. (Mondale at 34388)
  • S. 3044, a bill to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 is approved and signed into law October 15, 1974. It becomes Public Law 93-443. 93rd Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 120 (October 16, 1974): 35780.
  • Senator Mondale introduces S. 1755, a bill to provide for partial public financing of congressional primary and general elections; Senator Mondale states, "All of us know the compromises and accommodations the system of unlimited private financing has sometimes forced. They should have no place in a truly democratic system." The bill is referred to Committee on Finance. 94th Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 121 (May 15, 1975): 14586-14593.
  • Senator Mondale introduces S. 2741, establishing six regional presidential primaries: "No other major nation chooses its leaders in such a chaotic manner and the question is whether we should continue to do so." 94th Cong., 1st sess., Congressional Record 121 (December 4, 1975): 38535-38538.
  • Senator Mondale introduces Senate Joint Resolution 166 to establish a commission to study the process of presidential nominations: "The present system of nominating presidential candidates is close to anarchy." The measure is referred to Committee on Rules and Administration. 94th Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 122 (February 5, 1976): 2515-2516.
  • Senator Mondale introduces Amendment No. 1436 to S. 3065, the Federal Election Commission reconstitution bill (introduced by Senator Cannon, D-NV), establishing a commission to study the process of presidential nominations; Senator Mondale states, "While in most areas they have proved to have had unfailing wisdom and foresight, the framers of our Constitution did not realize that the system of electing our Chief Executive would evolve into a jumble of State laws, party regulations, and unchallenged traditions with the political parties playing the major role in the selection process." 94th Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 122 (March 10, 1976): 6002-6003.
  • Debate on S. 3065 and proposed amendments; Senator Mondale's Amendment No. 1436, setting up a commission to study the Presidential nomination process; Senator Mondale argues for his amendment: "There is not a single system of nominating a President, but literally 55 different systems, each with a welter of differing rules, often conflicting. The spectacle of the present system is now obvious to all, and the system has arrived at the point where it is utterly ludicrous. It undermines the physical capacity of the candidates, it destroys the ability for rational debate, and it is a system which now cries out for reform." The amendment is agreed to. The bill passes the Senate and the House and becomes Public Law 94-283 in May. 94th Cong., 2nd sess., Congressional Record 122 (March 16, 1976): 6702-6734. (Mondale at 6726)

Speeches & Publications Submitted