Committee Enthusiastic About Foley Nomination Only Smith Has Critical Word, Calling On Former Speaker To ‘Renounce Perks’

Not all roads are bumpy for potential U.S. ambassadors.

Former House Speaker Tom Foley was greeted by handshakes and back slaps as he appeared before a friendly Senate Foreign Relations Committee during a hearing on his nomination to become ambassador to Japan.

The only jab came from Rep. Linda Smith, R-Wash., who issued a statement calling on Foley “to be a good ambassador and renounce perks,” including his taxpayer-supported staff and office in Spokane.

Former speakers are provided staffed offices in their home districts for up to five years after they leave Congress.

Smith, who is running for the Senate in 1998, later said she didn’t realize Foley would be required by law to close his office if confirmed as ambassador.

Wednesday’s congenial hearing was a dramatic change from the Foreign Relations Committee’s bitter fight over former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld’s nomination to be ambassador to Mexico.

Committee Chairman Jesse Helms, R-N.C., dug in his heels and refused to hold a hearing on Weld’s nomination. After weeks of public feuding with Helms, Weld withdrew.

The committee is expected to approve Foley’s nomination within the next two weeks.

“We’ll try to find some tough questions, but it won’t be as exciting as it has been,” said Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., who presided over the hearing.

Washington Sens. Patty Murray and Slade Gorton introduced Foley to the panel. Murray hailed Foley’s promotion of the state’s agricultural exports.

“I know him as a tireless and skilled negotiator,” she said.

Gorton gave his “enthusiastic support” to the nomination. Foley is “the best nominee for the post who the president could have picked,” Gorton said.

Committee members continued on the same positive tone.

Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., called Foley “a legislative great,” and Sen. Paul Sarbanes, D-Md., added: “Mr. Foley will do an outstanding job.”

Smith’s statement about Foley was delivered to the committee by her staff.

After later acknowledging that Foley would be required to give up his Spokane office, Smith said the broader issue of unnecessary perks remains.

Foley should never have accepted the public money in the first place, she said. “It’s so easy when you get something free to forget who’s paying for it.”

Smith has written legislation that would slash the bonuses for former speakers, which she hopes to introduce sometime next year.

After testifying, Gorton said he didn’t want to immediately comment on Smith’s statement, but acknowledged, “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

As ambassador, Foley would face some tough issues in Japan. Several senators said they are concerned with Japan’s reluctance to open up its market to American products such as food and cars.

In 1996, Japan’s exports to the United States totaled $115 million, while American exports to Japan only reached $67 million.

Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., said the trade deficit with Japan has been “vexing” for some time.

“We negotiate a trade agreement with them, then nothing seems to happen,” he said.

Foley agreed.

“Since 1993, (there have been) about 23 agreements with Japan, some home have been successful, others, frankly, have been less successful,” he said.

“I will do everything I can” to move the process forward, he said.

Foley’s nomination would continue a tradition of sending former prominent politicians to the post in Japan.

President Clinton appointed ex-Vice President Walter Mondale for the job, which he held from July 1993 until last December. Former Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield held the job for more than 11 years, from June 1977 to December 1988.

The post has been empty for more than nine months.

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