[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 146 (Tuesday, September 19, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H9144-H9145]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            IT IS ABOUT TIME

  (Mr. LEWIS of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, news reports today suggest that 
the House Ethics Committee, composed of five Republicans and five 
Democrats, has concluded they must hire an outside counsel to 
investigate Speaker Gingrich. All I can say is, it's about time.
  Now, however, there are those who would limit the scope of the 
outside counsel's investigation, tying his or her hands.


                             point of order

  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I have a point of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Ehlers] 
will state his point of order.
  Mr. EHLERS. Once again, Mr. Speaker, I rise to make the point of 
order that the gentleman has mentioned a case pending before the 
Committee on Standards of Official Conduct and it is not in order to 
make those comments.
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, tell me why I am being muzzled. 
Tell me why there is a conspiracy to silence me.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will ask the gentleman to refrain 
from references to issues pending before the Committee on Standards of 
Official Conduct. That is the precedent and the rule of the House.


                         Parliamentary inquiry

  Mr. BONIOR. Parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his parliamentary 
inquiry.
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, the question I pose to the Chair to help 
clarify this so we can have a legitimate and coherent debate on this 
issue, if in fact it is relevant; the question I pose to the 
distinguished Speaker this morning is: Is it in fact all right for 
Members to 

[[Page H9145]]
address something that occurred back in 1988 with respect to the 
actions of a Member of this House with regard to the scope and inquiry 
of one of its committees?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members may not refer to the current ethical 
standing of other Members of this House.
  Mr. BONIOR. So, further requesting a parliamentary inquiry, Mr. 
Speaker, if we are talking about something that occurred back in 1988, 
that obviously is not current, and the gentleman from Georgia would be 
in order to talk about what was suggested by Speaker Gingrich back in 
1988.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Unless it is in reference to an ethical 
situation of a Member that is still in the House.

  Mr. BONIOR. That Member certainly is not in the House at this point, 
so I would assume from that answer, Mr. Speaker, that the gentleman 
from Georgia [Mr. Lewis] would be within the bounds of the Chair's 
ruling to discuss the comments made in 1988 by the Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair has already ruled that the Members 
shall refrain from addressing any issue that is pending before the 
Committee on Standards of Official Conduct relating to, a current 
Member of this Congress.
  The gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Lewis] may proceed on order.
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Let me quote what Speaker Gingrich said in 1988 
about the investigation of Speaker Wright:

       I am concerned that the scope, authority and independence 
     of the special counsel will be limited by the guidelines the 
     Ethics Committee has established.

  Gingrich went on--

       The House of Representatives, as well as the American 
     public, deserve an investigation which will uncover the 
     truth. At this moment, I am afraid that the apparent 
     restrictions placed on this special counsel will not allow 
     the truth to be uncovered.

  Speaker Gingrich was right then, and the same rules should apply 
today. Let the special counsel uncover the truth. If the Speaker has 
nothing to hide, do not limit the scope of the special counsel's 
investigation.

                          ____________________