[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 130 (Thursday, September 19, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H10605-H10606]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             OUTSIDE COUNSEL'S REPORT PRIVILEGED RESOLUTION

  (Mr. LEWIS of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the 
House

[[Page H10606]]

for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, today or tomorrow the House will 
consider a privileged resolution I have introduced calling on the 
Ethics Committee to release the report of the outside counsel 
investigating Speaker Newt Gingrich. I would like to read the text of 
that privileged resolution:

       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;
       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.

                          ____________________