[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 718 Laid on Table in House (LTH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 718

           Raising a question of the privileges of the House.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 29, 2012

Ms. Jackson Lee of Texas submitted the following resolution; which was 
                           laid on the table

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
           Raising a question of the privileges of the House.

Whereas the chair of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has 
        interfered with the work of an independent agency and pressured an 
        administrative law judge of the National Labor Relations Board by 
        compelling the production of documents related to an ongoing case, 
        something independent experts said ``could seriously undermine the 
        authority of those charged with enforcing the nation's labor laws'' and 
        which the House Ethics Manual discourages by noting that ``Federal 
        courts have nullified administrative decisions on grounds of due process 
        and fairness towards all of the parties when congressional interference 
        with ongoing administrative proceedings may have unduly influenced the 
        outcome'';
Whereas the chair of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has 
        politicized investigations by rolling back longstanding bipartisan 
        precedents, including by authorizing subpoenas without the concurrence 
        of the ranking member or a committee vote, by refusing to share 
        documents and other information with the ranking member, and restricting 
        the minority's right to call witnesses at hearings;
Whereas the chair of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has 
        jeopardized an ongoing criminal investigation by publicly releasing 
        documents that his own staff admitted were under court seal;
Whereas the chair of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has 
        unilaterally subpoenaed a witness who was expected to testify at an 
        upcoming Federal trial, despite longstanding precedent and objections 
        from the Department of Justice that such a step could cause 
        complications at a trial and potentially jeopardize a criminal 
        conviction;
Whereas the chair of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has 
        engaged in a witch hunt, through the use of repeated incorrect and 
        uncorroborated statements in the committee's ``Fast and Furious'' 
        investigation; and
Whereas the chair of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has chosen 
        to call the Attorney General of the United States a liar on national 
        television without corroborating evidence and has exhibited 
        unprofessional behavior which could result in jeopardizing an ongoing 
        Committee investigation into Operation Fast and Furious; Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives disapproves of the 
behavior of the chair for interfering with ongoing criminal 
investigations; insisting on a personal attack against the Attorney 
General of the United States; and for calling the Attorney General of 
the United States a liar on national television without corroborating 
evidence thereby discredit to the integrity of the House.
                                 <all>