IV 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 911 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 18, 2009 Mr. Ehlers submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary RESOLUTION Requesting the Attorney General to appoint a special counsel to investigate allegations regarding the organization ACORN.

Whereas the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) has received taxpayer money through executive agencies; Whereas ACORN is under investigation by several States attorneys general and Inspector Generals at the Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury for allegations including, but not limited to, voter fraud, the illegal use of Federal funds for political activities, tax fraud and/or tax evasion, and promotion of criminal activity; Whereas, as elected officials, Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate have a responsibility to ensure taxpayer monies are spent honestly and legally; Whereas, on October 30, 2009, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Appropriations Act, 2010 (Public Law 111–88), banned Federal funding of ACORN until December 18, 2009; Whereas if Congress does not specifically act to continue the ban to deny Federal monies to ACORN, this entity could be eligible for additional Federal monies; Whereas if Federal monies are being spent dishonestly and illegally, additional Federal funds should not be awarded or distributed to ACORN; Whereas there has not been a cohesive approach to investigating these allegations; Whereas a special counsel should be appointed to investigate, in a cohesive manner, the allegations that Federal monies are possibly being used illegally by ACORN or any of its affiliates, both formal and informal, including all subsidiaries and entities controlled by ACORN; Whereas a special counsel should also investigate ACORN’s relationship with all allied organizations and any individual or organization that has been complicit in the criminal activity of ACORN and its employees; Whereas President Obama and the Department of Justice have not appointed a special counsel to investigate these allegations; Whereas under regulations promulgated by the Department of Justice in June 1999, the Attorney General may name such a counsel when it would be in the public interest to name such a counsel; and Whereas it is in the public interest for the American people to know if their taxpayer money is being spent in accordance with the law: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives requests the United States Attorney General— (1)to appoint a Special Counsel to— (A)investigate the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) and all of its affiliates, both formal and informal, including all subsidiaries and entities controlled by ACORN; and (B)investigate ACORN’s relationship with all allied organizations and any individual or organization that has been complicit in the criminal activity of ACORN and its employees; and (2)to report to Congress on the results of that investigation.