[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 154 (Friday, September 29, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H9677]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   TIME TO APPOINT OUTSIDE COUNSEL TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS AGAINST 
                                SPEAKER

  (Mr. STUPAK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STUPAK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the Committee on 
Standards of Official Conduct to once again appoint an outside counsel, 
for the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct has not followed the 
process as described here in the Rules of Official Conduct.
  These rules state that after receiving a complaint, the Committee on 
Standards of Official Conduct then determines whether the complaint, 
here against the Speaker, merits further inquiry and then it issues a 
preliminary inquiry. That is found in rule XV.
  If so, then a subcommittee is appointed to investigate, under rule 
XVII, whether there is reason to believe a violation has occurred. Then 
the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct conducts a trial-like 
hearing.
  Unfortunately, the resolution for a preliminary inquiry has never 
been filed. But the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, 
according to its chairperson, has begun a process that is ``flexible'' 
and ``a process that its own committee Members can feel good about.''
  Madam Speaker, ethics should not be flexible because the subject of 
the investigation is the Speaker. I want all Members and the American 
people to feel good about this investigation and to restore the faith 
and confidence in this institution.
  Please appoint an outside independent counsel.

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