[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1460 Laid on Table in House (LTH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1460

           Raising a question of the privileges of the House.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 18, 2008

 Mr. Boehner submitted the following resolution; which was laid on the 
                                 table

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
           Raising a question of the privileges of the House.

Whereas the gentleman from New York, Charles B. Rangel, serves as chairman of 
        the House Ways and Means Committee, a position of considerable power and 
        influence within the House of Representatives;
Whereas the Committee on Ways and Means has jurisdiction over the United States 
        Tax Code;
Whereas The New York Times reported on September 5, 2008, that, ``Representative 
        Charles B. Rangel has earned more than $75,000 in rental income from a 
        villa he has owned in the Dominican Republic since 1988, but never 
        reported it on his Federal or State tax returns, according to a lawyer 
        for the congressman and documents from the resort'';
Whereas in an article in the September 5, 2008, edition of The New York Times, 
        his attorney confirmed that Representative Rangel's annual congressional 
        Financial Disclosure statements failed to disclose the rental income 
        from his resort villa;
Whereas The New York Times reported on September 6, 2008, that, ``Representative 
        Charles B. Rangel paid no interest for more than a decade on a mortgage 
        extended to him to buy a villa at a beachfront resort in the Dominican 
        Republic, according to Mr. Rangel's lawyer and records from the resort. 
        The loan, which was extended to Mr. Rangel in 1988, was originally to be 
        paid back over seven years at a rate of 10.5 percent. But within two 
        years, interest on the loan was waived for Mr. Rangel.'';
Whereas clause 5(a)(2)(A) of Rule 25 of the Rules of the House defines a gift 
        as, ``* * * a gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, 
        loan, forbearance, or other item having monetary value'' and prohibits 
        the acceptance of such gifts except in limited circumstances;
Whereas Representative Rangel's acceptance of thousands of dollars in interest 
        forgiveness is a violation of the House gift ban;
Whereas Representative Rangel's failure to disclose the aforementioned gifts and 
        income on his Personal Financial Disclosure Statements violates House 
        rules and Federal law;
Whereas Roll Call newspaper reported on September 15, 2008, that, ``The 
        inconsistent reports are among myriad errors, discrepancies and 
        unexplained entries on Rangel's personal disclosure forms over the past 
        eight years that make it almost impossible to get a clear picture of the 
        Ways and Means chairman's financial dealings.'';
Whereas Representative Rangel's failure to report the aforementioned gifts and 
        income on Federal, State and local tax returns is a violation of the tax 
        laws of those jurisdictions;
Whereas disclosure of these improper acts follows an announcement on July 31, 
        2008, by the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct that it is 
        reviewing unrelated allegations that Representative Rangel has violated 
        House gift rules, financial disclosure regulations and rules barring the 
        use of official resources to solicit funds for private ventures;
Whereas an editorial in The New York Times on September 15, 2008, stated, 
        ``Mounting embarrassment for taxpayers and Congress makes it imperative 
        that Representative Charles Rangel step aside as chairman of the Ways 
        and Means Committee while his ethical problems are investigated.'';
Whereas clause 1 of rule XXXIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives 
        provides, ``A Member, Delegate, Resident Commission, officer, or 
        employee of the House shall conduct himself at all times in a manner 
        that shall reflect creditably on the House''; and
Whereas on May 24, 2006, Speaker Nancy Pelosi cited ``high ethical standards'' 
        in a letter to Representative William Jefferson asking that he resign 
        his seat on the Committee on Ways and Means in light of ongoing 
        investigations into alleged financial impropriety by Representative 
        Jefferson: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) pursuant to its authority under clause 3(a)(2) of House 
        Rule XI, the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, within 
        10 days of adoption of this resolution, shall establish an 
        Investigative Subcommittee in the matter of Representative 
        Charles B. Rangel or report to the House the reasons for its 
        failure to do so; and
            (2) upon adoption of this resolution and pending completion 
        of the aforementioned investigation, Representative Rangel is 
        hereby removed as chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means.
                                 <all>