[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 134 (Wednesday, September 25, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H11139-H11140]
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 (during consideration of S. 919). 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 New 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

[[Page H11140]]

     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 
     release to the public the outside counsel's report on Speaker 
     Newt Gingrich, including any conclusions, recommendations, 
     attachments, exhibits or accompanying material--no later than 
     Friday, September 27, 1996.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Dickey). 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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