[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 110 (Wednesday, July 23, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H7351-H7352]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     QUESTION OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to a point of personal privilege.
  The SPEAKER. The Chair has examined the press accounts that have been 
submitted, and it qualifies as a question of personal privilege under 
rule IX.
  The gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) is recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

[[Page H7352]]

  Mr. Speaker, I have always considered the time spent in this 
institution, the people's House, as one of the highest honors a person 
can be provided by this country. Each of us is elected by the people to 
be a Member. Each of us has an equal right to be here. But what we do 
here, what position or responsibilities that we have, we owe to each 
other.
  Last Friday in the Ways and Means Committee while conducting a markup 
of a bill as a result of decisions made by members of the committee and 
by me as chairman, there was a breakdown of order and decorum. To 
reestablish order in the committee, I requested that staff place a call 
to the Sergeant at Arms. That decision, in my opinion, was proper and 
appropriate. A second decision to instruct staff to see if the 
Democrats that had occupied the library would go to room 1129, which is 
a room reserved for the Democrats for meetings and caucuses, and to 
enlist the support of the Capitol Police to do so if necessary, that 
decision, in the words of Norm Ornstein in a column today in Roll Call, 
was described as ``just plain stupid.'' I agree with him.
  Every Member has as much right to be here and to be heard as any 
other. In hindsight, calling the Sergeant at Arms for help in the 
committee room, I still believe, was good judgment. My instruction to 
use the Capitol Police, if necessary, in the library was not. I learned 
a very painful lesson on Friday. As Members, you deserve better 
judgment from me, and you will get it. Because of my poor judgment, 
those outside the House who want to trivialize, marginalize, and debase 
this institution were given an opportunity to do so. Because of my poor 
judgment, the stewardship of my party as the majority party in this 
House has been unfairly criticized.

                              {time}  1415

  Because of my poor judgment, I became the focus of examination rather 
than the issues. The visions that each of us have for a better America, 
different as though they may be but equally entitled to be heard, were 
not focused on.
  It has been said that our strengths are our weaknesses. Or as my 
mother would have put it, ``When they were passing out moderation, you 
were hiding behind the door.'' I believe my intensity has served useful 
purposes, fixing problems and passing laws that otherwise may not have 
made it. But when one is charged and entrusted with responsibilities by 
you, my colleagues, as I have been, you deserve better. Moderation is 
required.
  For the remainder of my time in this, the people's House, I want to 
rededicate my efforts to strengthening this institution as the 
embodiment of what is best about us. I need your help and I invite it.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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