[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 125 (Thursday, September 18, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H7533]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             PRIVILEGED RESOLUTION REGARDING FORMER MEMBER

  (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MENENDEZ. I come before the House today to urge my colleagues to 
do what they know is right.
  As many of my colleagues personally witnessed, Robert Dornan, a 
former Member of this House, verbally assaulted me on the House floor 
yesterday. He used profane language, accused me of religious bigotry, 
called my integrity into question, and by tone of voice and the context 
of his remarks clearly attempted to lure me off the floor into a 
physical altercation.
  I offered a privileged resolution to make clear that behavior like 
Mr. Dornan's is never acceptable on the House floor. Now there is some 
talk that some may seek to table the resolution when it comes to the 
floor today. With the American people watching us on C-SPAN, what kind 
of message does that send to the public about this institution? What 
kind of standards does that set for this House? What kind of example 
does that set for our children, that profanities and threats are the 
way to solve differences of opinion?
  Mr. Speaker, I hope and trust that, as a body, we truly are above 
that and that my colleagues will vote against any motion to table. Vote 
for the resolution and for maintaining the highest standard of conduct 
and decorum in the House.

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