[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 14 (Friday, February 11, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 11, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
 REQUESTING AN EXPLANATION FROM LEADERSHIP REGARDING A MEMBER'S USE OF 
       PUBLIC FUNDS AND ALLEGATIONS OF CIRCUMVENTING HOUSE RULES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Florida [Mr. Goss] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I am truly sad to have to get up and take 
these 5 minutes today. I had no intention of having to do this, but 
when I picked up the newspaper this morning and shook the snow off, I 
found there was a front page article in one of the leading papers in 
the Nation's Capital that clearly does not bring credit to this 
institution. Sadly, it involves one of our important Members who was 
reportedly under investigation by the executive branch, and he is 
getting extremely bad press about the way he has been handling public 
funds for his office.
  Questions have been raised now about a behind-the-scenes secret 
cleanup going on, and these questions are being openly asked. 
Suggestion has been made that perhaps such activity is designed to end-
run the rules of the House. As a member of the ethics committee, I 
speak for myself, but I think other members of the ethics committee 
would be equally interested in the answer.
  I believe we are owed some type of explanation about what exactly has 
been going on, who has been involved, and what is happening, because we 
have understood so far that the ethics committee has been waiting for 
the executive branch to do its job.
  I understand right now that discussions are ongoing between the 
leadership on the Democratic side and the Republican side, and I hope 
that those discussions will lead to some information before we recess 
this afternoon to go on the President's Day break. I for one do not 
want to go home without some further understanding about exactly what 
has been going on, and I feel sure other members of the ethics 
committee, and I am sure every Member of this body will feel the same 
way.
  Part of our job is to make sure that we do the best we can to enhance 
the reputation of this institution. I think a forthright explanation of 
what is going on will serve that purpose.

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