[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 22, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1118]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PRIVILEGED MOTION REGARDING ALLEGATIONS AGAINST REPRESENTATIVE MURTHA

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                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 22, 2007

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Madam Speaker, I cannot support this motion.
  If the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (the so-called 
Ethics Committee) were to report such a resolution, it would be a 
matter demanding careful consideration by the House.
  But that is not the case with this resolution. It has not been 
considered by the Ethics Committee or by any other Committee and its 
author seeks to have the full House of Representatives act on it 
without having the benefit of any hearings before it is debated here on 
the floor.
  To me, Madam Speaker, that is not the appropriate way to proceed.
  The resolution combines elements of an indictment--in the form of 
allegations stated as facts--with those of a verdict in the form of a 
conclusion that there has been a violation of the Rules of the House.
  I do not know whether any or all of the allegations are true, and so 
I cannot say whether or not the proposed verdict would be just.
  Rather than ask the House to vote today on those allegations and the 
proposed verdict, I think the resolution's author should bring the 
matters dealt with in this resolution to the attention of the Ethics 
Committee so they can be considered in a way that allows for a fair 
process aimed at determining the facts and making such recommendations 
as the facts will support.
  Because that has not been done, I think the resolution is premature 
at best and so I cannot support it.

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