[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 5 (Thursday, January 9, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S128-S129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 467--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE 
  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD, CONSISTENT WITH ITS CONSTITUTIONAL 
OBLIGATIONS, IMMEDIATELY TRANSMIT THE 2 ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST 
  PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP PASSED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON 
             DECEMBER 18, 2019, UNDER HOUSE RESOLUTION 755

  Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Grassley, Mrs. Blackburn, 
Mrs. Capito, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Perdue, Mr. Portman, Mr. 
Shelby, Mr. Braun, Mrs. Loeffler, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mrs. Hyde-
Smith, Mr. Daines, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Cruz, Ms. Ernst, Mr. 
Tillis, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Mrs. 
Fischer, Mr. Sasse, and Mr. Hoeven) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.:

                              S. Res. 467

       Whereas, pursuant to article I, section 2 of the 
     Constitution of the United States, the House of 
     Representatives ``shall have the sole Power of Impeachment'';
       Whereas, pursuant to article I, section 3 of the 
     Constitution of the United States, the Senate ``shall have 
     the sole Power to try all Impeachments'';
       Whereas, on December 18, 2019, the House of Representatives 
     passed 2 articles of impeachment against President Donald J. 
     Trump;

[[Page S129]]

       Whereas, since passage, the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives has refused to transmit the articles to the 
     Senate, unless the Senate agrees to allow the Speaker of the 
     House of Representatives to dictate the rules of a trial;
       Whereas, the Constitution of the United States does not 
     provide the Speaker of the House of Representatives with the 
     power to effectively veto a resolution passed by a duly 
     elected majority of the House of Representatives by refusing 
     to transmit such a resolution to the Senate;
       Whereas, the refusal by the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives to transmit the articles is a flagrant 
     violation of the separation of powers expressly outlined in 
     the bicameral impeachment process under the Constitution of 
     the United States;
       Whereas, this inaction by the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives is a gross infringement on the constitutional 
     authority of the Senate to try impeachments;
       Whereas, the refusal by the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives to transmit the articles is unprecedented for 
     presidential impeachments;
       Whereas, refusing to transmit the articles is resulting in 
     the denial of President Trump's day in court; and
       Whereas, if allowed to stand, this inaction by the Speaker 
     of the House of Representatives would set a dangerous 
     precedent for the constitutional system of Government in the 
     United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate calls on the Speaker of the House 
     of Representatives to immediately appoint impeachment 
     managers and transmit the articles of impeachment to the 
     Senate for disposition consistent with the Constitution of 
     the United States.

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