In these frugal, cost-conscious 1990s, members of the U.S. Senate are, once again, trying to waste our money.

In the latest dive into the pork barrel, Senators voted 98-0 last week to launch costly, time-consuming hearings to investigate the Clintons' involvement in Whitewater. Just yesterday, the House voted 408-15 in favor of hearings.

The only problem is, the Justice Department already enlisted special counsel Robert Fiske to investigate the confusing web of details surrounding Whitewater.

Whether Whitewater turns out to be nothing more than a land deal gone bad, or the deeper questions of conflict of interest or even criminal activity surface, Fiske was hired to get to the bottom of it.

Congress should stop trying to steal the glory of uncovering wrongdoing and let the prosecutor do his job. Follow this Capitol Hill logic: The government hires Fiske to investigate Whitewater, and tax dollars pay his salary. Later, the Senate and House vote to launch hearings, for which the American taxpayer again shells out money, because our fearless leaders believe it is their responsibility to ferret out the truth.

After the Iran-Contra fiasco and Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill sideshow, Congressional hearings just don't sound like a very sensible investment. Meanwhile, throughout it all, the Clintons pay for their defense out of their own pockets.

So if Fiske and the Senate and the House, investigating the same "scandal" at the same time, find no wrongdoing by the Clintons, twice as much tax money spirals down the drain.

It is always easier to spend someone else's money, especially when it could get you on television. But Congress must learn to put its collective ego aside and get out of Fiske's way. At this point, he's the best buy.