[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 18, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H306-H307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  ONE EXPLANATION OF HOUSE PROCEEDINGS

  (Mr. DeLAY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I want to announce to the entire House that 
we are once again going to send every Member a copy of the rules so 
that they can understand the rules of the House as we passed them a 
couple of weeks ago.
  It is very evident to me what is happening here, and we will inform 
the Members more. We know that the Committee on Rules is meeting on a 
rule in order to bring the unfunded mandate bill to the floor. You have 
to be in pro forma session in order to file that rule if there is no 
other business on the floor.
  That is what is happening here. The other side of the aisle is trying 
every tactic that they can to stop the Contract With America. That is 
quite evident to the American people.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, I ask that the gentleman's words be taken 
down.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Stearns). The gentleman from Texas [Mr. 
DeLay] will be seated while the words are being taken down.

                              {time}  1250

  The Clerk will report the words.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       That is what is happening here. The other side of the aisle 
     is trying every tactic they can to stop the Contract With 
     America. That is quite evident to the American people.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair that is not an 
improper personal reference to any Member.
  The gentleman from Texas may proceed.
  Mr. VOLKMER. I appeal the ruling of the Chair.
  The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman wishes to appeal the ruling of the Chair.


                         parliamentary inquiry

  Mr. VOLKMER. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw that then and ask, if I may, a 
parliamentary inquiry.
  The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman will state it.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Before the gentleman from Texas continues, what I am 
hearing from the Chair, and correct 
[[Page H307]] me, in the previous ruling it is impermissible to say 
anything about another Member, or insinuate by innuendo anything about 
the private life or aspects of
 a Member.

  But now what the Chair is saying is it is all right to impugn motives 
by innuendo of a whole group. Is that correct? So he can say it about 
the whole group, but not to a Member, because that is by innuendo he 
implied our motives and my motives.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. It is the opinion of the Chair that the 
words do not engage in personal innuendo against any one Member, and 
Members can engage in debate on political motivation which is not----
  Mr. VOLKMER. A book deal is not a political motivation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Let the Chair finish--which is not personal.
  The gentleman from Texas [Mr. DeLay] may proceed.
  Mr. DeLAY. I think we all ought to take a deep breath. It is quite 
evident to the American people that from January 4 we have been working 
tirelessly to get to the Contract With America.

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