[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]

 
                ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under rule IX, a resolution offered from the 
floor by a Member other than the majority leader or the minority leader 
as a question of the privileges of the House has immediate precedence 
only at a time or place designated by the Speaker in the legislative 
schedule within 2 legislative days of its being properly noticed. The 
Chair will announce the Speaker's designation at a later time. In the 
meantime, the form of the resolutions proffered by the gentleman from 
Oklahoma [Mr. Istook] will appear in the Record at this point, and need 
not be read, since virtually identical and since it has already been 
introduced and printed.
  The Chair is not at this point making a determination as to whether 
the resolution constitutes a question of privilege. That determination 
will be made at the time designated by the Speaker for consideration of 
the resolution.
  The text of the privileged resolution follows:

       Whereas, former House Postmaster Robert V. Rota has pleaded 
     guilty in the United States District Court for the District 
     of Columbia to charges of conspiracy to embezzle funds of the 
     United States in violation of section 371 of 18 U.S.C., and 
     of aiding and abetting embezzlement, in violation of sections 
     641 and 2 of 18 U.S.C.
       Whereas, court documents in this case contain allegations 
     that several Members, officers or employees of the House were 
     co-conspirators with Mr. Rota, and that Members received the 
     proceeds of embezzlement, and reveal that this practice 
     occurred during the 3 prior terms of Congress;
       Whereas, complete and accurate testimony by Mr. Rota was 
     not provided to any previous inquiry by this House, and 
     accordingly has not been examined by a formal House inquiry;
       Whereas, personnel of the House Post Office allegedly 
     provided illegal cash to certain Members in three ways: (1) 
     cash instead of stamps for official vouchers, (2) cash for 
     postage stamps, which had earlier been purchased with 
     official vouchers, (3) cash for campaign checks;
       Whereas, these allegations directly affect the rights of 
     the House collectively, its safety, dignity and the integrity 
     of its proceedings, and the rights, reputation and conduct of 
     its Members;
       Whereas, article I, section 5 of the Constitution gives 
     each House of Congress responsibility over disorderly 
     behavior of its Members;
       Whereas, these allegations, if true, would constitute 
     violations by Members of the Rules of the House and of the 
     Code of Official Conduct;
       Whereas, the safety, dignity and the integrity of the 
     House, and of public confidence in the House, require that 
     these allegations receive full inquiry by the House itself;
       Whereas, the House Committee on Standards of Official 
     Conduct has jurisdiction over current Members, officers and 
     employees of the House including investigatory authority, and 
     is the appropriate body of this House to conduct any inquiry.
       Now Therefore, be it resolved:
       1. The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct is hereby 
     instructed to conduct an immediate investigation of the House 
     Post Office into allegations:
       That the House Post Office provided cash to any Member in 
     exchange for official vouchers;
       That the House Post Office provided cash to any Member in 
     exchange for stamps purchased with official vouchers;
       That the House Post Office provided cash to any Member in 
     exchange for campaign account checks; and
       That the House Post Office provided cash to any Member in 
     any other way inconsistent with the Rules of this House.
       2. In pursuing its investigation, the Committee on 
     Standards of Official Conduct shall determine which Members 
     are alleged by the former Postmaster to have engaged in 
     improper conduct in connection with the House Post Office, 
     and whether these Members are the subjects of any current 
     investigation by the United States Department of Justice.
       3. The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct shall 
     coordinate its investigation with the related efforts of the 
     Department of Justice. If the Department of Justice indicates 
     to the committee in writing that any specific Member is the 
     subject of an official investigation, the committee may defer 
     further inquiry into that Member's conduct, pending 
     conclusion of the Department of Justice investigation.
       4. The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct shall 
     file a report to the House of its investigation and its 
     findings. This report shall be made available to the public.

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