[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 181 (Wednesday, November 15, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H13034-H13035]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  2000
                        TECHNOLOGY AND THE TRUTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Taylor of North Carolina). Under a 
previous order of the House, the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Kingston] 
is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I have here a voting card, which all 
Members of Congress have. We put it in the machine, hit a little 
button, and then it goes to a computer over a block away in the Rayburn 
building and comes back and up on the board our vote is permanently 
recorded for all people to see.
  We also are recorded on C-SPAN. We have great technology. In fact, 
many people around America are watching me speak tonight and others 
speak through the miracle of technology. I am wondering if the 
technology that has brought us C-SPAN and cards like this could not 
also be used for a truth meter.
  Is it not time, Mr. Speaker, that Members of Congress maybe have some 
special rig to the microphone that when we start lying and start 
getting way off the farm from reality that maybe we could get a little 
sound that goes ``beep.'' For example, when one of the leaders of the 
Democratic Party says, ``Well, Republicans are going to cut Medicare,'' 
knowing full well we are going from $4,800 to $6,700 per person; 
knowing that, and they look your mother in the eye and your dad and 
assume that they do not know what is going on and say, the Republicans 
are going to cut your Medicare. Wouldn't it be great to have a beep 
come on and for all those C-SPAN viewers out there to know the person 
who is speaking is lying.

  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would ask the gentleman's 
words be taken down. Did I hear correctly that he was saying some 
Members of Congress on the Democratic side were lying?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman was talking about a machine 
that might detect it. He made no reference to any individual.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. I would like to, if I may, ask for his words 
to be read back because I do not think I heard what the speaker heard.

                              {time}  2002

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Taylor of North Carolina). The Member 
will suspend. The Clerk will report the words.
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Point of information Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his point.
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I do not believe any of the 
words of the gentleman were attributed to any of the Members of the 
House. It was a 

[[Page H 13035]]
discussion about a truth meter, if such an object were developed and 
available through technology, what its value might be to the American 
public.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, are we going to debate this? We 
will debate it while the words are taken down.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Pennsylvania will 
suspend. The Chair is about to have the words reported and then the 
Chair will rule.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. While the Clerk is preparing to read the 
words, the Chair would admonish all Members to be respectful. There has 
been a lot of heated debate over the last few days. Be respectful of 
fellow Members.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will read the words.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       For example, when one of the leaders of the Democratic 
     party says, ``Well, Republicans are going to cut Medicare'', 
     knowing full well we are going from $4,800 to $6,700 per 
     person knowing that, and they look your mother in the eye and 
     your dad and assume that they do not know what is going on 
     and say, ``The Republicans are going to cut your Medicare.'' 
     Wouldn't it be great to have a beep come on and for all these 
     C-SPAN viewers out there to know the person who is now 
     speaking is lying.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Taylor of North Carolina). The words are 
not a specific reference to any individual members. Earlier this 
evening, reference was made to the ``so-called leadership'' of the 
House and that was not a reference to a specific person.
  The Chair would rule that these words are not out of order, but the 
Chair would caution Members again to be respectful to the House 
leadership and each other here this evening.
  The gentleman from Georgia may continue.
