[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 176 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 176

    Expressing the sense of the Congress that, as Congress and all 
Americans learned the identity of ``Deep Throat'' as W. Mark Felt this 
week, it commends and honors W. Mark Felt for his uncommon courage and 
 bravery in exposing major Government corruption and encourages other 
  FBI employees aware of wrongdoing to follow the lead of this model 
                             whistleblower.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 9, 2005

   Mr. Conyers (for himself, Mr. Stark, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Moran of 
   Virginia, Mr. Meehan, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Serrano, Mr. 
Boucher, and Ms. Wasserman Schultz) submitted the following concurrent 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
    Expressing the sense of the Congress that, as Congress and all 
Americans learned the identity of ``Deep Throat'' as W. Mark Felt this 
week, it commends and honors W. Mark Felt for his uncommon courage and 
 bravery in exposing major Government corruption and encourages other 
  FBI employees aware of wrongdoing to follow the lead of this model 
                             whistleblower.

Whereas this week, Americans were brought closure to an extraordinary chapter in 
        this Nation's history in which corruption in our Government would have 
        gone unchecked had a model Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) 
        whistleblower not come forward;
Whereas on May 31, 2005, it was revealed that ``Deep Throat,'' this model FBI 
        whistleblower responsible for ensuring that this country's 
        constitutional system of checks and balances was maintained, was W. Mark 
        Felt;
Whereas W. Mark Felt served as the Deputy Director of the FBI at the time he 
        revealed to Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein 
        his knowledge of governmental wrongdoing and risked his reputation, 
        dismissal, and prosecution;
Whereas W. Mark Felt refused to have this country's system of justice 
        circumvented and allow interference with the FBI's investigation of the 
        burglary of the Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate hotel and 
        office complex on June 17, 1972;
Whereas W. Mark Felt is to be commended and honored for the difficult choice he 
        made to risk his career and livelihood by exposing information crucial 
        to bringing a proper and lawful resolve to the Watergate scandal;
Whereas it was with the information that W. Mark Felt provided that the full 
        scope of the Watergate crimes was eventually revealed through Congress 
        as the Senate Watergate Committee held hearings and the House Judiciary 
        Committee conducted an impeachment investigation;
Whereas W. Mark Felt, now age 91, is to be applauded for his dutiful and loyal 
        service to this country as a public servant, model FBI agent and 
        administrator that had the ability to do what was right and disclose 
        corruption in our Government; and
Whereas W. Mark Felt should also be recognized for his influence in the practice 
        of journalism as he established that anonymous sources play a key role 
        in aiding reporters in exposing the truth and that it is important for 
        journalists and others to maintain that anonymity: Now, therefore it, be
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) commends and honors W. Mark Felt for his uncommon 
        courage and bravery in exposing major Government corruption 
        that warranted Senate Watergate Committee hearings and a House 
        Judiciary Committee impeachment investigation;
            (2) encourages FBI employees aware of wrongdoing to follow 
        the example set by W. Mark Felt, a model FBI whistleblower, and 
        come forward with relevant information; and
            (3) recognizes the important role that anonymous sources 
        play in honest and accurate reporting by journalists and the 
        importance of respecting that anonymity and the freedom of 
        speech.
                                 <all>