[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 53 (Wednesday, March 22, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H3423]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1030
                 APPOINT AN OUTSIDE INDEPENDENT COUNSEL

  (Mr. DOGGETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, last month I addressed this House 
concerning the legislation advanced by Speaker Gingrich that could have 
the effect of intimidating a citizen who complained about the ethics of 
the Speaker or any Member of this House. Hopefully the Speaker's ill-
advised legislative proposal that would thwart ethics complaints has 
now been abandoned.
  But we must be sure that an overall concern for ethics, for 
maintaining the highest standards of integrity by Members of this body, 
is not also abandoned. Mr. Speaker, Congress cannot be exempt from the 
requirement of the appointment of an outside independent counsel with 
complete powers to investigate Members of this body.
  I want to applaud the action of Common Cause yesterday with reference 
to the whole question of an independent counsel, and I paraphrase from 
that important statement, appointing an outside person of unquestioned 
integrity with a nonpartisan background will be a critical factor in 
obtaining a publicly credible result.
  But, Mr. Speaker, the Member who said it best in 1988 said, ``The 
trust of the public and the integrity of the House will accept no lower 
standard than an outside counsel.''
  Mr. Speaker, that Member of the House is now Speaker of the House, 
the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Gingrich].

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