[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 440 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 440

 Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Committee on Government 
   Reform and Oversight should confer immunity from prosecution for 
   information and testimony concerning illegal foreign fundraising 
                              activities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 18, 1998

 Mr. Boehner submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
            the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Committee on Government 
   Reform and Oversight should confer immunity from prosecution for 
   information and testimony concerning illegal foreign fundraising 
                              activities.

Whereas the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight is currently 
        investigating the unprecedented flow of illegal foreign contributions to 
        the Clinton-Gore campaign during the 1996 Presidential campaign;
Whereas more than 90 witnesses in the investigation have either asserted the 
        fifth amendment or fled the United States to avoid testifying, including 
        53 persons involved in raising money for the Democratic National 
        Committee or the Clinton-Gore campaign;
Whereas among the 53 persons who have either asserted the fifth amendment or 
        fled the United States to avoid testifying are former Associate Attorney 
        General Webster Hubbell; former White House aide Mark Middleton; 
        longtime Clinton friends John Huang, Charlie Trie, and James and Mochtar 
        Riady; and Chinese businessman Ted Sieong and 11 members of his family;
Whereas democratic fundraiser Johnny Chung has told Department of Justice 
        investigators that he funneled more than $100,000 in illegal campaign 
        contributions from a Chinese military officer to Democrats during the 
        1996 campaign cycle, according to a New York Times report on May 15, 
        1998;
Whereas Chung told Federal investigators much of the $100,000 he gave to the 
        Democratic National Committee in the 1996 campaign came from Communist 
        China's Peoples Liberation Army through Liu Chaoying, a Chineese 
        Lieutenant Colonel and aerospace industry executive;
Whereas Chung's account and supporting evidence, such as financial records, is 
        the first direct evidence of Communist Chinese campaign contributions 
        being funneled to the Democratic National Committee and Clinton-Gore 
        '96;
Whereas subsequent to the receipt of the illegal campaign contributions from 
        Communist Chineese officials the Clinton Administration relaxed export 
        controls and overruled a Pentagon ban on the sale and export of 
        sophisticated satellite technology to China;
Whereas on April 23 and May 13, 1998, the Committee on Government Reform and 
        Oversight unsuccessfully sought to grant immunity from prosecution to 4 
        important witnesses, including 2 former employees of Johnny Chung who 
        have direct knowledge concerning Communist Chinese attempts to influence 
        United States policy and make illegal campaign contributions;
Whereas these 4 witnesses, Irene Su, Nancy Lee, Larry Wong, and Kent La, each 
        have direct information concerning the efforts employed by Johnny Chung, 
        Ted Sieong, and other foreigners to violate Federal campaign laws and 
        exercise foreign influence over the 1996 elections;
Whereas the Department of Justice does not object to the Committee on Government 
        Reform and Oversight's desire to confer immunity on Irene Wu, Nancy Lee, 
        Larry Wong, and Kent La;
Whereas Irene Wu, Johnny Chung's office manager and primary assistant, would 
        provide the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight firsthand 
        information and knowledge about Chung's payments to Clinton-Gore '96 and 
        his relationships with foreign nationals;
Whereas Nancy Lee, an engineer at Mr. Chung's company, solicited contributions 
        from her colleagues for the benefit of Clinton-Gore '96, and those 
        contributions serve as the foundation of criminal charges brought 
        against Mr. Chung;
Whereas Larry Wong, a long-time friend and associate of convicted felon Gene 
        Lum, has direct knowledge concerning Lum's method of making illegal 
        foreign money contributions to Clinton-Gore '96;
Whereas Kent La, the United States distributor of Communist Chinese cigarettes, 
        has direct and relevant information about illegal foreign money 
        contributions made to the Democratic National Committee by Ted Sioeng; 
        and
Whereas the inability of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight to 
        confer immunity on these 4 important witnesses serves as an impediment 
        to the important work of the committee in determining the extent to 
        which officials and associates of the Chinese and other foreign 
        government sought to influence the 1996 elections and United States 
        policy in violation of Federal campaign contribution laws and 
        regulations: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight should vote to direct 
the General Counsel of the House of Representatives to apply to a 
United States district court for an order immunizing from use in 
prosecutions the testimony of, and other information provided by, Irene 
Wu, Nancy Lee, Larry Wong, and Kent La at proceedings before or 
ancillary to the Committee.
                                 <all>