[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 62 (Tuesday, April 4, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H4142]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRIES

  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state it.
  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, with regard to the last ruling of the Chair 
that the gentleman would not be permitted to present his concurrent 
resolution concerning the tax benefits accorded to Mr. Murdoch, what 
was the basis for the Chair's ruling? Is it that the majority has not 
consented to the presentation of this resolution?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speakers' guidelines shown in 
section 757 of the House Rules and Manual, the Chair does not recognize 
the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Deutsch].
  Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry.
  Mr. Speaker could I take it up as a privileged motion at this time?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. It is not a privileged motion at this time?
  Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, could the Speaker cite a rule why it is not 
considered as that?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has not properly presented a 
resolution.
  Mr. DOGGETT. A further parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state it.
  Mr. DOGGETT. If I understand the previous ruling of the Chair in 
response to my parliamentary inquiry, it was that this is a Speaker's 
guideline. It is not a rule; it is a guideline that the Speaker has 
himself applied to the rules. Is that correct?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. This is an exercise of the Speaker's power 
of recognition for a unanimous-consent request.
  Mr. DOGGETT. I thank the chair.
  Ms. WATERS. A parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman will state it.
  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, if it is not a rule and you cannot cite a 
rule, and you are saying it is a prerogative of the Speaker, is it 
documented anywhere that the Speaker intended to handle his power in 
this way?
  You may not be aware that the Speaker said that he is adamantly 
opposed to this tax giveaway to Mr. Murdoch, and that he wishes to do 
something about it. I do not think you should shut down that 
opportunity.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will cite the rule: Clause 2,
   rule XIV, from which the guidelines have been determined.

  Ms. WATERS. I am sorry?
  Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to appeal the ruling of the 
Chair.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The decision of the Chair denying 
recognition is not appealable.
  Mr. DEUTSCH. A parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker. Why is that?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. This a discretionary recognition on the part 
of the Chair. It is not appealable.
  Mrs. SCHROEDER. I have a parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman will state her inquiry.
  Mrs. SCHROEDER. Mr. Speaker, would the Chair receive the gentleman's 
concurrent resolution to put it in the Record at this point and see if 
we can get the Speaker to read it, and maybe we could bring it up 
tomorrow, get recognition, because we obviously cannot get over this 
discretionary hurdle that the Speaker has.
  Could I ask unanimous consent that we put the concurrent resolution 
in the Record at this point?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman may introduce the resolution 
through the hopper.
  Mr. DEUTSCH. I think what the gentlewoman is requesting, Mr. Speaker, 
is that we have some type of recognition in terms of the Speaker 
himself, the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Gingrich], to actually take a 
look at it. He has stated publicly that he supports taking out this 
provision, and we really want to give him the opportunity to do exactly 
that.
  Mr. TIAHRT. Regular order, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentleman seek approval to print 
the text of the resolution?
  Mr. DEUTSCH. I think in terms of the gentlewoman from Colorado, the 
request----
  Mrs. SCHROEDER. Mr. Speaker, my inquiry would be since the gentleman 
in the Chair is the designee of the Speaker at this point, and this is 
all discretion from the Speaker, but I understand the gentleman in the 
Chair saying he does not have the Speaker's OK to exercise this 
discretion, could the gentleman in the Chair take the concurrent 
resolution and, A, put it in the Record, and B, see if we can get the 
Speaker's concurrence, so the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Deutsch] 
could be recognized tomorrow to bring this up?
  Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, if I might----
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentleman seek unanimous consent to 
insert the resolution into the Record?

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