[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 288 Laid on Table in House (LTH)]

  1st Session
H. RES. 288

         Relating to a question of the privileges of the House.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 30, 1995

 Mr. Johnston of Florida submitted the following resolution; which was 
                           laid on the table

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
         Relating to a question of the privileges of the House.

Whereas the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct is currently considering 
        several ethics complaints against Speaker Newt Gingrich;
Whereas the Committee has traditionally handled such cases by appointing an 
        independent, nonpartisan, outside counsel--a procedure which has been 
        adopted in every major ethics case since the Committee was established;
Whereas, although complaints against Speaker Gingrich have been under 
        consideration for more than 14 months, the Committee has failed to 
        appoint an outside counsel;
Whereas the Committee has also deviated from other longstanding precedents and 
        rules of procedure; including its failure to adopt a resolution of 
        preliminary inquiry before calling third-party witnesses and receiving 
        sworn testimony;
Whereas these procedural irregularities--and the unusual delay in the 
        appointment of an independent, outside counsel--have led to widespread 
        concern that the Committee is making special exceptions for the Speaker 
        of the House; and
Whereas the integrity of the House depends on the confidence of the American 
        people in the fairness and impartiality of the Committee on Standards of 
        Official Conduct: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on 
Standards of Official Conduct should report to the House, no later than 
December 12, 1995, concerning--
            (1) the status of the Committee's investigation of the 
        complaints against Speaker Gingrich;
            (2) the Committee's disposition with regard to the 
        appointment of a nonpartisan outside counsel and the scope of 
        the counsel's investigation; and
            (3) a timetable for Committee action on the complaints.
                                 <all>