Another issue is whether the Senate is constitutionally empowered to consider censure.

If for these or other reasons the House concludes that the President's removal from office is not required, it can then consider censure.

But he has expressed an openness to considering censure.

A1 Senators who favor rebuking President Clinton said the Senate's decision to close its final deliberations might speed the debate and buy time to consider censure before a holiday recess begins this weekend.

However, as this most serious and difficult matter moves to the Senate, we urge you to allow the Senate to consider strong censure as a remedy.

When Representative Billy Tauzin of Louisiana let it be known that he might consider censure rather than impeachment, the far-right magazine Human Events denounced him as "pro-perjury."

Some senators expected that the Senate would then consider censure, which many Republicans oppose.

His fellow Democrats haven't exactly leaped to his side, but a recent poll indicated that 46 percent of the public considers censure warranted.

Meanwhile, the specious contention that the Constitution does not allow the House to consider censure as an alternative to impeachment is fading away.

If that proposition didn't get a two-thirds majority, then the Senate would move on to consider censure.