[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 129 (Wednesday, September 18, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H10572]
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. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2 of rule IX, I 
hereby give notice of my intention to offer a resolution which raises a 
question of the privileges of the House.
  The form of the resolution is as follows:

       Whereas on December 6, 1995, the Committee on Standards of 
     Official Conduct agreed to appoint an outside counsel to 
     conduct an independent, nonpartisan investigation of 
     allegations of ethical misconduct by Speaker Newt Gingrich;
       Whereas, after an eight-month investigation, that outside 
     counsel has submitted an extensive document containing the 
     results of his inquiry;
       Whereas the report of the outside counsel cost the 
     taxpayers $500,000;
       Whereas the public has a right--and Members of Congress 
     have a responsibility--to examine the work of the outside 
     counsel and reach an independent judgment concerning the 
     merits of the charges against the Speaker;
       Whereas these charges have been before the Ethics Committee 
     for more than two years;
       Whereas a failure of the Committee to release the outside 
     counsel's report before the adjournment of the 104th Congress 
     will seriously undermine the credibility of the Ethics 
     Committee and the integrity of the House of Representatives: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Committee on Standards of Official 
     Conduct shall immediately release to the public the outside 
     counsel's report on Speaker Newt Gingrich, including any 
     conclusions, recommendations, attachments, exhibits or 
     accompanying material.

  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 designated by the Chair in the legislative 
schedule within 2 legislative days. The Chair will announce that 
designation at a later time.
  A determination as to whether the resolution constitutes a question 
of privilege will be made at that later time.

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