[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 182 (Thursday, November 16, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H13064]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   ANNOUNCEMENT OF INTENTION TO OFFER RESOLUTION RAISING QUESTION OF 
                        PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE

  (Mr. PETERSON of Florida asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PETERSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(a)(1) of 
rule IX, I hereby give notice of my intention to offer a resolution--on 
behalf of myself and the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Johnston]--which 
raises a question of the privileges of the House.
  The form of the resolution is as follows:

       Whereas the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct is 
     currently considering several ethics complaints against 
     Speaker Newt Gingrich;
       Whereas the Committee has traditionally handled such cases 
     by appointing an independent, non-partisan, outside counsel--
     a procedure which has been adopted in every major ethics case 
     since the Committee was established;
       Whereas--although complaints against Speaker Gingrich has 
     been under consideration for more than 14 months--the 
     Committee has failed to appoint an outside counsel;
       Whereas the Committee has also deviated from other long-
     standing precedents and rules of procedure; including its 
     failure to adopt a Resolution of Preliminary Inquiry before 
     calling third-party witnesses and receiving sworn testimony;
       Whereas these procedural irregularities--and the unusual 
     delay in the appointment of an independent, outside counsel--
     have led to widespread concern that the Committee is making 
     special exceptions for the Speaker of the House;
       Whereas the integrity of the House depends on the 
     confidence of the American people in the fairness and 
     impartiality of the Committee on Standards of Official 
     Conduct.
       Therefore be it resolved that;
       The Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on 
     Standards of Official Conduct should report to the House, no 
     later than November 28, 1995, concerning:
       (1) the status of the Committee's investigation of the 
     complaints against Speaker Gingrich;
       (2) the Committee's disposition with regard to the 
     appointment of a non-partisan outside counsel and the scope 
     of the counsel's investigation;
       (3) a timetable for Committee action on the complaints.

  Mr. Speaker, this is motherhood. This is not to take a prejudicial 
view of their findings, it is asking for a clear, specific report to 
this House, of which we stand ready to receive at any time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under rule IX, a resolution offered from the 
floor by a Member other than the majority leader or the minority leader 
as a question of the privileges of the House has immediate precedence 
only at a time or place designed by the Speaker in the legislative 
schedule within 2 legislative days of its being properly noticed. The 
Chair will announce the Chair's designation at a later time.
  The Chair's determination as to whether the resolution constitutes a 
question of privilege will be made at the time designed by the Chair 
for consideration of the resolution.

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