[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 18 (Wednesday, February 12, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H456]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       CREATION OF BIPARTISAN TASK FORCE TO REVIEW ETHICS PROCESS

  (Mr. ARMEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I would like to thank my 
colleagues that are waiting for their 1-minutes for their willingness 
to let me intercede at this time. I appreciate their grace and 
patience.
  Mr. Speaker, over the past few months the gentleman from Missouri 
[Mr. Gephardt], the minority leader, and I have been talking about the 
need for a comprehensive review of the ethics process. We have had 
several good discussions culminating in our joint appearance before the 
House today to announce the creation of a bipartisan task force to 
conduct a review of the ethics process and to report to the bipartisan 
leadership on how the process might be improved.
  For this review to be successful, I think we need three key elements:
  First, the process must be truly bipartisan. Like the Ethics 
Committee, it should be composed of an equal number of Republicans and 
Democrats. Furthermore, and as the majority leader you will not find me 
saying this too often, I think this task force should be cochaired by a 
Member from each side of the aisle.
  Second, we must have dedicated Members who will do what is right for 
all Members and, more importantly, for the institution of the House of 
Representatives.
  Third, after the past few tumultuous months, I think we must have a 
brief cooling-off period where Members can sit back and examine where 
the ethics process works, where it does not and how it might be 
improved, and in a climate temporarily free from potential ethics 
charges.
  After a great deal of discussion, I am pleased to announce that the 
distinguished minority leader and I come to the floor today to announce 
the creation of a 12-member bipartisan task force cochaired by a 
Republican and a Democrat.
  Ethical review of our peers, and the process by which we conduct that 
review, is a constitutional responsibility. It is an important job that 
few Members are excited about performing. I have given a great deal of 
thought to whom the Republican side of the aisle should ask to do this. 
I want Members who are well respected and who are committed to doing 
what is right and what is in the best interests of the institution.
  While we have many Members who meet this criteria, I believe I have 
found six who will work well with Members, to be appointed by Mr. 
Gephardt.
  Members are the gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Livingston], who I have 
asked to be one of the cochairs, the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Goss], 
the gentleman from Delaware [Mr. Castle], the gentleman from California 
[Mr. Thomas], the gentleman from New York [Mr. Solomon] and the 
gentleman from Utah [Mr. Hansen], who as chairman of the Ethics 
Committee will serve as an ex officio member of the task force.
  Minority Leader Gephardt and I have also agreed on a moratorium on 
the filing of new ethics complaints until April 11. This 2-month 
cooling-off period will give the task force members an opportunity to 
meet, review and discuss how the ethics process can be improved and in 
a climate free from specific questions of ethical propriety.
  The task force is free to look into any and all aspects of the ethics 
process. Some of the questions I think the task force will want to 
address include: Who can file a complaint and upon what basis of 
information, what should be the standards for initiating an 
investigation, what evidentiary standard should apply throughout the 
process, how has the bifurcation process worked, does it take too long 
to conduct a review, should non-House Members play a part in a reformed 
ethics process, should we enlarge the pool of Members who might 
participate in different phases of the process?
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Missouri for working 
with me to create this important task force.
  I yield to the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Gephardt].
  Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.
  I would agree that we believe on the Democratic side, I think, with 
our friends on the Republican side that there needs to be a complete 
review of the ethics process with a view toward recommending changes to 
the whole body, that the body might considerate at some point in the 
future.
  We also agree that there should be six Members, one ex officio and 
five other Members. In that connection, I today am appointing the 
gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Cardin] to be our cochair, the gentleman 
from Texas [Mr. Frost], the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Moakley], 
the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Pelosi] and the gentleman from 
Ohio [Mr. Stokes] to be part of this bipartisan task force.

  We are also asking the gentleman from California [Mr. Berman] to be 
ex-officio, as he will be our recommended ranking member on the 
permanent Ethics Committee.
  So we will be joining with the majority leader in the unanimous 
consent request for their appointment and for the understanding that 
there will not be a filing of ethics complaints for this, I believe to 
be, 65-day period in which this group should be doing its work.
  I thank the gentleman and Members on his side for working with us on 
this process. I think it is an important step forward in working 
together to improve the ethics process for the body. I look forward to 
receiving recommendations from this group.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.
  I should also advise Members of the body that, during this interim 
period, the regular work of the Ethics Committee under the leadership 
of the gentleman from Utah [Mr. Hansen] and the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Berman] will continue to advise Members with respect to 
requests they might make about the appropriateness of courses of action 
they may take. That advisory function, I know, is being carried out 
well because I just got some advice back from the committee myself 
yesterday on a trip that I am looking at. So let me just say that I 
believe this accommodation enables every Member to feel they have a 
place to make their inquiries. They can get a quick, accurate, reliable 
response and at the same time this committee can work. Again, I want to 
thank the minority leader for his congenial efforts to work this out 
with me.

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