Mr. President, I stand here today to voice my support for the nomination of John Ashcroft to become the next Attorney General of the United States. Despite the well-publicized, well-financed attempts orchestrated by outside groups to smear his good name, I'm thankful that Senator Ashcroft will survive a reckless campaign that has snowballed into an avalanche of innuendo, rumor and spin.
From the moment President Bush announced his choice for U.S. Attorney General, some predictable opponents immediately set to work. They circled their wagons and launched an all-out war on our former colleague and his nomination. In their zeal to pick a fight with the new administration, the debate in the Senate melted down into a feeding frenzy for the left wing, which sought to lay down markers for its agenda.
Ironically, the president's nominee for the nation's top law enforcer in the country is arguably one of the most qualified candidates this body has ever had the privilege to cast its advice and consent upon for U.S. Attorney General. As a twice-elected Governor of Missouri, he's also served as the Show-Me-State's Attorney General and for six years as our colleague in the U.S. Senate.
In the six years that I had the privilege of working with John Ashcroft in the Senate, I can unequivocally say he is a man of his word. When he testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee that he will enforce the laws of this land, for ALL Americans, I am fully confident he will do so. He has a sharp command of the law. Having filled both shoes, he understands the difference between advancing legislation and enforcing the laws on the books. Remember, both the National Association of Attorneys General and the National Governors' Association picked Mr. Ashcroft to represent their organizations respectively.
As a fellow Midwesterner, John and I come from states where agricultural issues are key components of our economy, culture and heritage. We've discussed at length how to address the challenges confronting family farmers in the new century. He shares my concern to foster competitive markets and a level playing field for farmers and independent producers. The same goes for the airline industry and its service to underserved areas of the country. Based on my experience with Senator Ashcroft's work here in the Senate, I know that he is committed to doing what is right for Middle America. And he knows that I'll keep the lines of communication wide open between my office and his when it comes to fighting for the interests of Rural America.
In addition to his exemplary professional credentials, there is another issue that his supporters and detractors alike must agree on. That is, our former colleague, Senator John Ashcroft, is a man of unquestionable integrity and principle. He's a man of his word. Just ask the people of Missouri, who not once, but time and time again, placed their trust in him for statewide elected office.
Senator Ashcroft's career has been stellar. During his career, Senator Ashcroft has worked to establish a number of things to keep all Americans safe and free from criminal activities. For example, last year, Senator Ashcroft introduced a bill to prohibit juveniles from possessing assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips. The Senate overwhelmingly passed the Ashcroft legislation. He also voted for the "Gun-Free Schools Zone Act" that prohibits the possession of a firearm in a school zone. Because the Clinton Justice Department has not made gun prosecutions a priority, Senator Ashcroft led the charge in directing the Justice Department to increase the prosecution of gun crimes. In fact, he sponsored legislation to authorize $50 million to hire additional federal prosecutors and law enforcement officers to increase federal prosecution of criminal who use guns.
John Ashcroft's efforts against drug use and trafficking are also impressive. A leader in the national fight against the scourge of methamphetamine, Ashcroft won enactment of the Comprehensive Methamphetamine Control Act of 1996, among other things.
Senator Ashcroft has fought hard for the rights of women and to protect them from domestic abuse. He signed into law a bill that allowed women accused of homicide to present battered spouse syndrom evidence in court. He co-sponsored the Violence Against Women Act that helped secure $100 million in increased funding to combat violence against women. He voted for legislation that prohibits any person convicted of even misdemeanor acts of domestic violence from possessing a firearm. As Governor, Senator Ashcroft appointed women to the state's appellate courts, including the first two women to the Missouri Courts of Appeals and the first woman to the Missouri Supreme Court.
Deploying distortion and demagoguery to advance their own agenda, extremist groups banded together to engineer controversy where none existed. Rushing to judgment, his opponents sought to paint John Ashcroft as a racist, tainted by his principles, and unfit to lead the Department of Justice. In my view, they have been unable to make their case.
Despite his critics best efforts, accusations of racism and bias didn't stick. In fact, throughout his career, Senator Ashcroft has strived to protect the rights of minorities. He signed the Missouri hate crimes bill into law, and in the Senate held the first hearing ever on racial profiling. As Governor, he appointed a number of minority judicial candidates. So, his by-the-book approach to governing rises above and beyond the decibel level of his detractors.
It is sad that the aggressive publicity generated by special interest groups to derail this nomination have painted an unfair image of John Ashcroft in the minds of many Americans. Contrary to the controversy surrounding the nomination to the federal bench of Ronnie White, John Ashcroft doesn't have a racist bone in his body. If his opponents are keeping track of his support for black judges, it's ironic they didn't care to publicize the fact that as a Senator, Ashcroft voted for 26 out of 28 black judges. He nominated the first black judge to the appellate court as Governor of Missouri. And the St. Louis Black Bar Association praised him for diversity in his court appointments. The trumped up charges of racism and bias took on a life of their own but ring hollow when you pull back the curtain on his opponents' red-hot rhetoric.
In recent years, misrepresentations and bald-faced lies coming out Washington have eroded the electorate's faith and trust in public office holders. Thankfully, that's not the way a majority of us operates. And that's certainly not the way my friend and neighbor John Ashcroft has built up an impeccable record of public service. His rock-solid integrity, legal background and proven ability to uphold and enforce the law will restore the mission of the Justice Department.
It is clear to me that, despite his personal beliefs, Senator Ashcroft has proven his ability to uphold the law without the influence of personal bias. As Missouri Attorney General, John Ashcroft protected the confidentiality of abortion records maintained by the Missouri Department of Health, even when they were requested by pro-life groups. He has voiced his opposition to violence and his belief that, regardless of his personal views on abortion, people should be able to enter abortion clinics safely. This is because Senator Ashcroft believes that people who commit these acts of violence and intimidation should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
I want to conclude by saying that everyone in this institution comes to the Senate with a set of ideals and principles that serves as their guiding compass. Whether it's based in conservatism, liberalism or something, somewhere in-between, each of us in this chamber has the privilege and responsibility to cast a vote of conscience. When the presiding officer calls for the yeas and nays on his nomination, let the yeas put the avalanche of unproven criticisms to rest. Let us confirm John Ashcroft as our next Attorney General.