[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 135 (Thursday, September 26, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H11356-H11357]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          DISMISSING THE ELECTION CONTEST AGAINST CHARLES BASS

  Mr. THOMAS, from the Committee on House Oversight, submitted a 
privileged report (Rept. No. 104-853) on the resolution (H. Res. 539) 
dismissing the election contest against Charles F. Bass, which was 
referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.
  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent for immediate 
consideration in the House of the resolution (H. Res. 539) dismissing 
the election contest against Charles F. Bass.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Reserving the right to object, Mr. Speaker, 
I ask my friend, the gentleman from California, to kindly explain the 
purpose of this resolution.
  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. FAZIO of California. I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. THOMAS. I thank the gentleman for yielding to me, Mr. Speaker.
  This is, as the last was, a contested election. A task force was 
appointed, as a matter of fact, the identical task force to the one 
that investigated the North Carolina allegations, the gentleman from 
Ohio, John Boehner, as chairman, the gentleman from Louisiana, William 
Jefferson, and the gentleman from Michigan, Vern Ehlers, as members. It 
was in the State of New Hampshire, in the Second District.
  Mr. Haas's claim was based on the application of a New Hampshire 
statute which required that a candidate file an oath stating that they 
were not ``a subversive person.'' This statute had not been applied to 
candidates in New Hampshire elections since 1966, when the State 
Attorney General notified the Secretary of State that the United States 
Supreme Court had ruled such oaths unconstitutional.
  Therefore, on March 15, the task force voted unanimously to dismiss 
the contest, and on May 10 the full committee agreed unanimously to 
recommend dismissal.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I concur in the chairman's 
description of this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.

[[Page H11357]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 539

       Resolved, That the election contest of Joseph Haas, 
     contestant, against Charles F. Bass, contestee, relating to 
     the office of Representative from the Second Congressional 
     District of New Hampshire, is dismissed.

  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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