[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 69 (Friday, April 27, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H3729-H3731]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE HOUSE MAJORITY'S GREAT INJUSTICE
(Ms. KAPTUR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, the majority in this House has just exacted
a great injustice. The unwarranted, unjust, forced resignation of a
sworn officer of this United States House, the House Chaplain, Patrick
Conroy, is a complete, complete violation of justice. It is also a
complete violation of the rules of this House and the 229-year
precedents of this House.
As well, Speaker Paul Ryan's unilateral decision to remove the House
Chaplain, who is elected by the entire membership of this House, is
simply wrong. The Chaplain deserves just and fair treatment by every
Member of this body that would attend to any Member who is subjected to
such treatment or any citizen in our country who appears before the
law. Every life in our Nation should matter.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Ms. KAPTUR. And the lives and reputations of the officers of this
House should matter. Our heads should hang low today----
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman is no longer recognized.
Ms. KAPTUR. * * *
Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, Father Conroy has served this institute
honorably for the past seven years. He is only one of two Roman
Catholic clerics ever to have served as pastor for the U.S. House of
Representatives since the founding of our Republic 229 years ago, of 60
who have served. As an elected officer of this House, the Chaplain
serves as its spiritual leader, abiding the heavy weight that the
Chaplain bears for hundreds of Members, their families, hundreds more
staff members, visitors and others who seek guidance and help. From
what is trickling out in the media, this political crucifixion of
Father Conway was executed following a visit from Speaker Paul Ryan's
Chief of Staff in which Fr. Conway's resignation was demanded. Fr.
Conroy complied. He transmitted a letter of resignation under coercion
on April 15. On April 16, under cover of convoluted parliamentary
procedure, with the vast membership of this institution unnoticed and
unaware, Speaker Ryan requested ascension from the entire body. But who
in this House even knew procedurally what was occurring? There was no
notice. There was no prior House official proceeding to hear this
matter. There was no one to object as no Member other than the Speaker
and his inner circle knew what the Speaker was demanding.
In such an important matter of a human being's life and reputation,
what happened to our House Rules? What happened to regular order? This
forced resignation is without cause. It is unprecedented. It is wrong.
It is simply a unilateral decision and abuse of power by the Speaker
who himself will soon leave Congress. He should hang his head. The
Speaker solely delivered an honorable man up for political crucifixion
without hearing or trial.
Justice in such a consequential action demands the full attention and
engagement of this entire House. It is not the prerogative of a single
individual, no matter how powerful that individual may feel he is. The
Speaker's action is a violation of the fundamental Rules of this House.
It cannot stand the light of scrutiny. This consequential decision
about a human being's life was summarily imposed with no justice, no
consultation, and importantly a complete abdication of our House Rules
and Constitutional precedents. It must be overturned. Justice and
regular order must return to this House.
[[Page H3730]]
According to the Pew Research Center, Religious `nones' are
underrepresented in Congress compared with U.S. adults
overall: Christian: 485 members, 90.7 percent of Congress, 71
percent of U.S. adults [(Protestant: 299, 55.9 percent, 48
percent; Baptist: 72, 13.5 percent, 15 percent; Methodist:
44, 8.2 percent, 5 percent; Anglican/Episcopal: 35, 6.5
percent, 1 percent; Presbyterian: 35, 6.5 percent, 2 percent;
Lutheran: 26, 4.9 percent, 4 percent; Congregationalist: 5,
0.9 percent, 1 percent; Non-denomational Protestant: 8, 1.5
percent, 6 percent; Pentecostal: 2, 0.4 percent, 5 percent;
Restorationist: 2, 0.4 percent, 2 percent; Adventist: 2, 0.4
percent, 1 percent; Christian Scientist: 2, 0.4 percent, <1
percent; Holiness: 1, 0.2 percent, 1 percent; Reformed: 1,
0.2 percent, <1 percent; Anabaptist: 0, 0 percent, <1
percent; Friends/Quakers: 0, 0 percent, <1 percent; Pietist:
0, 0 percent, <1 percent; Unspecified/other: 64, 12 percent,
5 percent) (Catholic: 168, 31.4 percent, 21 percent) (Mormon:
13, 2.4 percent, 2 percent) (Orthodoz Christian: 5, 0.9
percent, <1 percent)]; Jewish: 30, 5.6 percent, 2 percent;
Buddhist: 3, 0.6 percent, 1 percent; Muslim: 2, 0.4 percent,
1 percent; Hindu: 3, 0.6 percent, 1 percent; Unitarian
Universalist: 1, 0.2 percent, <1 percent; Unaffiliated: 1,
0.2 percent, 23 percent; Other faiths: 0, 0 percent, 2
percent; Don't Know/refused: 10, 1.9 percent, 1 percent. For
more information: ``Faith on the Hill, the religious
composition of the 115th Congress,'' <http://
www.pewforum.org/2017/01/03/faith-on-the-hill-115/>.''
____
Excerpt from rule 2, section 1 of U.S. House Rules:
Rule II other officers and officials
Elections
1. There shall be elected at the commencement of each
Congress, to continue in office until their successors are
chosen and qualified, a Clerk, a Sergeant-at-Arms, a Chief
Administrative Officer, and a Chaplain. Each of these
officers shall take an oath to support the Constitution of
the United States, and for the true and faithful exercise of
the duties of the office to the best of the knowledge and
ability of the officer, and to keep the secrets of the House.
Each of these officers shall appoint all of the employees of
the department concerned provided for by law. The Clerk,
Sergeant-at-Arms, and Chief Administrative Officer may be
removed by the House or by the Speaker.
Page 363 of house rules and manual of 115th congress:
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/HMAN-115/pdf/HMAN-115.pdf
Excerpt form article 1 section 2 of U.S. Constitution
The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and
other Officers; * * *
The officers of the House are the Speaker, who has always
been one of its Members and whose term as Speaker must expire
with the term as a Member; and the Clerk, Sergeant-at-Arms,
Chief Administrative Officer, and Chaplain (I, 187), no one
of whom has ever been chosen from the sitting membership of
the House and who continue in office until their successors
are chosen and qualified (I, 187). In one case the officers
continued through the entire Congress succeeding that in
which they were elected (I, 244, 263). Former officers
include Doorkeeper (abolished by the 104th Congress, see
Sec. 663b, infra) and Postmaster (abolished during the 102d
Congress, see Sec. 668, infra). The House formerly provided
by special rule that the Clerk should continue in office
until another should be chosen (I, 187, 188, 235, 244).
Currently, certain statutes impose on the officers duties
that contemplate their continuance (I, 14, 15; 2 U.S.C.
5602).
Page 13 of house rules and manual of 115th congress:
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/HMAN-115/pdf/HMAN-115.pdf
____
[From The Hill, Apr. 27, 2018]
Dem Lawmaker Looking Into Whether Ryan Violated House Rules by Forcing
Out Chaplain
(By Avery Anapol)
A Democratic Ohio lawmaker is looking into whether Speaker
Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) violated House procedure when he sought
the resignation of House Chaplain Patrick Conroy.
Rep. Marcy Kaptur told Roll Call that she believes a House
vote is necessary to remove a chaplain, as the position is
considered an ``officer of the House.''
Conroy submitted a letter of resignation on Thursday at
Ryan's request, and a bipartisan group of lawmakers told The
Hill that Conroy was forced out by the speaker.
``[His departure was] more than a little suspicious,''
Kaptur told Roll Call.
The reason behind Conroy's ouster is unclear, though
Democratic sources told The Hill it was because Conroy
offered a prayer on the House floor that could have been
interpreted as critical of the GOP tax law, legislation
strongly championed by Ryan.
Kaptur said she wants to find a bipartisan solution, which
could include a privileged resolution to reinstate Conroy.
``I don't want to make it a partisan thing,'' she said.
``This is about a person and justice has to prevail.''
``For me as a Catholic, with everything else that has gone
in my church with cover-ups and all the rest, I feel a
special responsibility to not have someone's reputation
damaged,'' she said, adding that she thinks the chaplain was
``deeply hurt'' by the situation.
____
[From Roll Call, Apr. 26, 2018]
Kaptur Exploring Legislative Reprieve for Ousted House Chaplain
Ohio Democrat said any legislation she proposes would be
bipartisan.
(By Lindsey McPherson)
Rep. Marcy Kaptur does not believe Speaker Paul D. Ryan has
authority to remove House Chaplain Patrick J. Conroy without
a vote of the House. And she's exploring legislation to
prevent his ouster.
Conroy submitted a letter of resignation April 15 at the
speaker's request that was read on the House floor the
following day. Ryan's spokeswoman AshLee Strong confirmed
that Ryan sought the Jesuit priest's resignation but did not
provide a reason why.
Rep. Walter B. Jones, R-N.C., and Joe Crowley, D-N.Y., both
pointed to a prayer that Conroy delivered on the tax overhaul
as the reason he was asked to leave. Jones said he spoke with
Conroy and he confirmed that, saying the only intended
meaning of the prayer was that the tax bill should help
everyone.
``As legislation on taxes continues to be debated this week
and next, may all Members be mindful that the institutions
and structures of our great Nation guarantee the
opportunities that have allowed some to achieve great
success, while others continue to struggle,'' Conroy said his
Nov. 6 prayer on the House floor. ``May their efforts these
days guarantee that there are not winners and losers under
new tax laws, but benefits balanced and shared by all
Americans.''
A senior GOP aide said there was not a specific prayer that
led to Ryan's decision. Conroy's resignation comes more than
five months after he delivered the prayer on the tax debate
but just days after Ryan announced his plans to retire from
Congress at the end of his term.
``If we cannot protect freedom of prayer on the floor of
the House, there is no hope for America. None,'' Jones said.
``This chaplain is elected by all the members we vote on. And
this should be a vote by all the members for him not to be
here.''
No rule for removal?
Like Jones, Kaptur also spoke with Conroy, who was
reluctant to talk about his resignation but upon her pressing
revealed it was a request from the speaker.
``I said, `But why?' and he didn't say anything,'' she
said. ``So I went back to my staff and . . . looked at the
rules of procedure for the House under the section dealing
with the chaplain. . . . As an officer of the House, this
should have consideration if there's no cause. I mean what's
the cause?''
Indeed the Jefferson's Manual and Rules of the House of
Representatives identifies the chaplain as an officer of the
House, along with the speaker, clerk, sergeant-at-arms and
chief administrative officer. The manual says the officers
shall be elected at the commencement of each Congress.
While the speaker's term expires with the conclusion of
each Congress, the other officers ``continue in office until
their successors are chosen and qualified,'' the manual says.
``The clerk, sergeant-at-arms, and chief administrative
officer may be removed by the House or by the speaker,'' the
manual says, while making no mention of the procedure for
removing the chaplain.
If the matter should be subject to a vote it's unclear
whether Conroy waived that by submitting his resignation.
Legislative remedy?
Kaptur is continuing to dig into the matter. The longest-
serving woman in the House said she has not seen anything
like this in her nearly three dozen years serving in this
institution.
``I don't think it's fair,'' she said, calling the Conroy's
ouster ``more than a little suspicious.''
Asked if there's a procedural action members could take,
like filing a privileged resolution reinstate Conroy, Kaptur
said, ``I am certainly of that mind. But I want to work on a
bipartisan basis. I don't want to make it a partisan thing.
This is about a person and justice has to prevail.''
Kaptur said any procedural action would be about treating
Conroy, with the respect he deserves as an officer of the
House.
``For me as a Catholic with everything else that has gone
in my church with cover-ups and all the rest, I feel a
special responsibility to not have someone's reputation
damaged,'' she said.
Kaptur said she was surprised that Ryan, who is also
Catholic, would make this decision. She said Conroy didn't
say much when she spoke with him, but noted, ``I think he's
deeply hurt.''
Group formed to vet successors
While Kaptur and others look for ways to keep Conroy in his
position--Crowley, for example, is calling on Ryan to
reconsider his decision--conversations about the next House
chaplain have begun.
Ryan has asked Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., to lead a
bipartisan group of members in looking at potential
replacements for Conroy. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., will
serve as the lead member of the group for the Democrats.
Collins, a military chaplain for 17 years, said there's no
set number of members for the group yet or timeline for the
group to submit recommendations. He predicted it could take a
few months and a replacement would likely not be ready before
Conroy's May 24 resignation date.
``This decision will be on the speaker ultimately,''
Collins said.
Collins said he is not looking for candidates of a specific
faith, just ones who have
[[Page H3731]]
``a heart for people,'' relate well to others and can listen.
Rep. Mark Walker, chairman of the Congressional Prayer
Caucus, is also serving on the group that will recommend the
next chaplain. Both he and Collins said they had no issues
with Conroy and were not familiar with Ryan's reason for
asking him to resign.
As for successors, Walker, who served as a pastor for
nearly 20 years before running for Congress, said he's
looking for someone with a nondenominational background that
has a multicultural congregation or an otherwise diverse
background.
The North Carolina Republican also said he'd prefer
``somebody who has a little age, that has adult children,
that kind of can connect with the bulk of the body here,
Republicans or Democrats as far as what we're going through
back home--you've got the wife, the family, things you
encounter--that has some counseling experience or has managed
or worked with people, maybe a larger church size, being able
to have that understanding or that experience.''
While Walker had initially specified someone with children
and said ``having somebody who's walked in those shoes I
think allows you to immediately relate a little bit more than
others.''
Catholic priests take a vow of celibacy. Walker followed up
with the reporters he made his comments to clarify he was not
disqualifying Catholic priests because of that vow.
``When I say family experience I mean that you've been a
priest or pastor over a parishioner with families who have
situations, adult children, those kinds of things.''
____________________