[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 23 (Thursday, February 27, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H681-H682]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              EXERCISING COMITY ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas [Mr. DeLay] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I am a little out of breath because I had to 
run down to the floor. I witnessed, as I was watching my television, 
what was going on on the floor, a very unfortunate situation, and had I 
been here I would have probably attempted to take down the words of the 
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Edwards]. He was attacking another gentleman 
from Texas. I think it is really unfortunate.
  Particularly if one Member is going to use the name of another 
Member, it is usually comity on the floor of the House to at least 
inform that Member that you are going to talk about him on the floor of 
the House, and give that Member the opportunity to respond to what is 
going on.
  I feel that what is going on between the two gentlemen from Texas is 
unfortunate. I would hope that particularly on the eve of trying to 
bring comity to the House and the Members going to Hershey, PA so we 
can bring a little bit better discourse to the floor of the House, 
getting to know each other, that we would find it within the courtesy 
afforded to each Member to at least talk to the Member.

                              {time}  1300

  Now, I do not know, all I have seen is the reports in the press on 
this incident. But I would just hope, I see the gentleman from Texas is 
on the floor now. I appreciate him coming down to the floor of the 
House because I did inform him that I was about to talk about him. I 
just ask the gentleman from Texas to realize the tradition of the House 
and the courtesy of the House, to extend the courtesy to a Member, let 
him know that you are going to talk about him before you are going to 
come down to the floor.
  Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. DeLAY. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's suggestion. I 
think the distinguished whip, for whom I have great respect, knows that 
in my history in the House, I have not been the type of Member that has 
gone out and taken gratuitous partisan shots. I am one who will attend 
the bipartisan retreat and am encouraging other Members to do that. I 
want to bring civility to this House. But I must in all honesty say to 
my friend from Texas that, as the Representative that covered or 
represented the people of the Waco area to whom the Branch Davidian 
tragedy is a very deep and personal issue, I simply could not sit back 
and quietly accept the statement that was made yesterday. And I found 
out about and saw the tape last night, the statement of the gentleman 
from Texas [Mr. Paul], lives in fear that the Federal Government is 
going to bomb them similar to Waco and that these people committed no 
crime. I would welcome the opportunity to talk to Mr. Paul and 
encourage a public debate on that.
  Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I would just ask the gentleman, did the 
gentleman call Mr. Paul to ask him about the context with which that 
statement was made? Or did the gentleman just go out and make 
statements based upon what he saw in the press? Or did the gentleman 
from Texas see the program on which the words were spoken by Mr. Paul? 
The reason I am close to the Chamber is we were having lunch,

[[Page H682]]

and Mr. Paul was very disturbed that the gentleman from Texas had made 
these kinds of comments. He left the lunch to go call the gentleman 
from Texas so that you get together and talk this out. As we were 
leaving the lunch room, we found that the gentleman was down in the 
well of the House attacking one of his colleagues from Texas.
  Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman from Texas is watching 
now, I would welcome him to come to the floor of this House. I will be 
glad to stay here.
  I think this is an issue that should receive a public debate. I think 
the public has a right to know why he fears the Government is going to 
bomb him and why he thinks David Koresh and his Branch Davidians 
committed no crimes. He may be offended by what I said in response to 
his comments. I am more offended by what he said. I think rape, arson, 
and murder are very serious crimes. I did see the program before I made 
the comments.
  Mr. DeLAY. Reclaiming my time, Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is a friend 
of mine. I think it is unfortunate that we are even having this 
conversation. Because at least the Texas delegation has always been 
able to speak to each other privately. And if they could not resolve 
their differences, they always, they could take the opportunity of 
going to the press very seldom. In fact, I do not even remember in the 
12 years I have been in the House that a Member from Texas attacked 
another Member from Texas from the well of the House. I appreciate the 
time.

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