[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 125 (Wednesday, July 24, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H7312-H7313]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  AFFIRMING THE VALIDITY OF SUBPOENAS DULY ISSUED AND INVESTIGATIONS 
 UNDERTAKEN BY ANY STANDING OR PERMANENT SELECT COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE 
      OF REPRESENTATIVES PURSUANT TO AUTHORITIES DELEGATED BY THE 
       CONSTITUTION AND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Dingell). Pursuant to House Resolution 
509, House Resolution 507 is considered as adopted.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 507

       Whereas Congress' power to conduct oversight and 
     investigations is firmly rooted in its legislative authority 
     under Article I of the Constitution, which commits to the

[[Page H7313]]

     House of Representatives alone the authority to establish its 
     rules governing the procedures and methods for the conduct of 
     oversight and investigations, as well as to determine the 
     powers that it delegates to its various committees;
       Whereas those powers delegated to the committees include 
     the power to conduct oversight into and to investigate, 
     pursuant to the legitimate legislative purposes of the 
     respective committees, matters involving, referring, or 
     related, directly or indirectly, to the persons, entities, 
     and organizations specified in this resolution;
       Whereas committees of the House, pursuant to the authority 
     delegated by clause 2(m) of rule XI and clause 11(d) of rule 
     X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, have 
     undertaken investigations and issued related subpoenas 
     seeking personal, financial, banking, and tax information 
     related to the President, his immediate family, and his 
     business entities and organizations, among others;
       Whereas the validity of some of these investigations and 
     subpoenas has been incorrectly challenged in Federal court on 
     the grounds that the investigations and subpoenas were not 
     authorized by the full House and lacked a ``clear statement'' 
     of intent to include the President, which the President's 
     personal attorneys have argued in Federal court is necessary 
     before the committees may seek information related to the 
     President; and
       Whereas while these arguments are plainly incorrect as a 
     matter of law, it is nevertheless in the interest of the 
     institution of the House of Representatives to avoid any 
     doubt on this matter and to unequivocally reject these 
     challenges presented in ongoing or future litigation: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives ratifies and 
     affirms all current and future investigations, as well as all 
     subpoenas previously issued or to be issued in the future, by 
     any standing or permanent select committee of the House, 
     pursuant to its jurisdiction as established by the 
     Constitution of the United States and rules X and XI of the 
     Rules of the House of Representatives, concerning or issued 
     directly or indirectly to--
       (1) the President in his personal or official capacity;
       (2) his immediate family, business entities, or 
     organizations;
       (3) the Office of the President;
       (4) the Executive Office of the President;
       (5) the White House;
       (6) any entity within the White House;
       (7) any individual currently or formerly employed by or 
     associated with the White House;
       (8) any Federal or State governmental entity or current or 
     former employee or officer thereof seeking information 
     involving, referring, or related to any individual or entity 
     described in paragraphs (1) through (7); or
       (9) any third party seeking information involving, 
     referring, or related to any individual or entity described 
     in paragraphs (1) through (7).

     

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