[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 160 (Tuesday, December 7, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H8069]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   NOTICE OF INTENTION TO OFFER RESOLUTION RAISING A QUESTION OF THE 
                        PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE

  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(a)(1) of rule IX, I 
hereby notify the House of my intention to offer a resolution as a 
question of the privileges of the House.
  The form of my resolution is as follows:

       Authorizing and directing the Speaker to appoint a 
     bipartisan task force to investigate the circumstances and 
     cause of the decision to place professional staff of the 
     Committee on Standards of Official Conduct on indefinite 
     administrative leave, and for other purposes.
       Whereas the Constitution of the United States authorizes 
     the House of Representatives to ``determine the Rules of its 
     Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behavior, and, 
     with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member'';
       Whereas in 1968, in compliance with this authority and to 
     uphold its integrity and ensure that Members act in a manner 
     that reflects credit on the House of Representatives, the 
     Committee on Standards of Official Conduct was established;
       Whereas the ethics procedures in effect during the 111th 
     Congress were enacted in 1997 in a bipartisan manner by an 
     overwhelming vote of the House of Representatives upon the 
     bipartisan recommendation of the ten member Ethics Reform 
     Task Force, which conducted a thorough and lengthy review of 
     the entire ethics process;
       Whereas, the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct 
     adopted rules for the 111th Congress;
       Whereas rule 6(a) of the Rules of the Committee on 
     Standards of Official Conduct states ``the staff is to be 
     assembled and retained as professional, nonpartisan staff'';
       Whereas rule 6(c) of the Rules of the Committee on 
     Standards of Official Conduct states ``the staff as a whole 
     and each individual member of the staff shall perform all 
     official duties in a nonpartisan manner'';
       Whereas rule 6(f) of the Rules of the Committee on 
     Standards of Official Conduct states ``All staff members 
     shall be appointed by an affirmative vote of the majority of 
     the members of the Committee. Such a vote shall occur at the 
     first meeting of the membership of the Committee during each 
     Congress and as necessary during the Congress'';
       Whereas, on November 19, 2010 two members of the 
     professional staff of the Committee on Standards of Official 
     Conduct were placed on indefinite administrative leave;
       Whereas, on November 19, 2010 the Committee on Standards of 
     Official Conduct canceled and has not rescheduled the 
     adjudicatory hearing for a Member of Congress, previously 
     scheduled for November 29, 2010;
       Whereas all of these actions have subjected the Committee 
     to public ridicule and weakened the ability of the Committee 
     to properly conduct its investigative duties, all of which 
     has brought discredit to the House; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) the Speaker shall appoint a bipartisan task force with 
     equal representation of the majority and minority parties to 
     investigate the circumstances and cause of the decision to 
     place professional staff of the Committee on Standards of 
     Official Conduct on indefinite administrative leave and to 
     make recommendations to restore public confidence in the 
     ethics process, including disciplinary measures for both 
     staff and Members where needed; and
       (2) the task force report its findings and recommendations 
     to the House of Representatives during the second session of 
     this Congress.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under rule IX, a resolution offered from the 
floor by a Member other than the majority leader or the minority leader 
as a question of the privileges of the House has immediate precedence 
only at a time designated by the Chair within 2 legislative days after 
the resolution is properly noticed.
  Pending that designation, the form of the resolution noticed by the 
gentlewoman from California will appear in the Record at this point.
  The Chair will not at this point determine whether the resolution 
constitutes a question of privilege. That determination will be made at 
the time designated for consideration of the resolution.

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