[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 18, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H3869]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page H3869]]
                   ETHICS REFORM TASK FORCE DISSOLVED

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I was shocked to learn that Speaker 
Gingrich had suddenly dissolved the ethics task force, and this Tuesday 
night massacre I hope does not effectively end bipartisan ethics 
reform.
  After 4 months of work, a bipartisan task force voted 11 to 1 in 
support of an ethics reform package, but none of us will ever see the 
fruits of their labor, just hours before it issued its report. While 
the task force reviewed the rules and made its recommendations, both 
Democrats and Republicans agreed to a 6-month moratorium on all ethics 
complaints.

                              {time}  1015

  Now it appears that the entire process was merely a political device 
to shield Members from ethics complaints and to delay investigations. 
Speaker Gingrich is the last person who should be thwarting ethics 
reform. He should not have the final word on this. He should allow the 
task force to issue its report, and allow the House to vote on this 
bipartisan reform proposal.

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