[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 18, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H309]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          WE HAVE BEEN GAGGED

  (Mr. WISE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. WISE. Mr. Speaker, today, in 14 years of legislative work that I 
have done in State and Federal out of legislatures, is the saddest day 
I have ever seen. I feel effectively gagged.
  Let me ask a question, Mr. Speaker: If anyone was reported to have 
signed a $4.5 million deal to write a book, if any Member was reported 
to have met with an interested party who possibly had interests 
affected by the Congress, if any Member had had legitimate questions 
raised in the public media and in editorials about his or her conduct, 
should it not be discussed on this floor?
  But now we have to tell the American people, ``Read your newspapers, 
watch your television, they can tell you what is happening. They can 
ask questions about the conduct of any Member of this House, including 
its Speaker. Follow your media, they can tell you what your elected 
House Members,'' myself included, ``cannot tell you because the 
Republican gag rule says that we are out of order.''


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