[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 205 (Wednesday, December 13, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H6924]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 AUTHORIZING THE ENFORCEMENT OF SUBPOENAS ISSUED BY THE CHAIRS OF THE 
  COMMITTEES ON OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY, WAYS AND MEANS, OR THE 
JUDICIARY AS PART OF THE INQUIRY INTO WHETHER SUFFICIENT GROUNDS EXIST 
 FOR THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO EXERCISE ITS CONSTITUTIONAL POWER 
TO IMPEACH JOSEPH BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND 
                           FOR OTHER PURPOSES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 6 of H. Res. 918, H. 
Res. 917 is considered as adopted.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 917

       Resolved, That the chairs of each of the Committees on 
     Oversight and Accountability, Ways and Means, and the 
     Judiciary are authorized, with the approval of the Speaker of 
     the House of Representatives, to initiate or intervene in 
     certain judicial proceedings before a Federal court for the 
     purpose of advancing the ongoing investigations into whether 
     sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to 
     exercise its Constitutional power to impeach Joseph Biden, 
     President of the United States of America, including as set 
     forth in the memorandum issued by the Chairs of the 
     Committees on Oversight and Accountability, Ways and Means, 
     and Judiciary of the House of Representatives, entitled 
     ``Impeachment Inquiry'', dated September 27, 2023, and that 
     the Chair of each such Committee has had and continues to 
     have the authority to issue subpoenas to further this 
     impeachment inquiry.


                           subpoena authority

       Sec. 2. 
       The authority provided by clause 2(m) of Rule XI of the 
     Rules of the House of Representatives to the Chairs of the 
     Committees on Oversight and Accountability, Ways and Means, 
     and Judiciary included, from the beginning of the existing 
     House of Representatives impeachment inquiry described in the 
     first section of this resolution, and continues to include, 
     so long as the impeachment inquiry is ongoing, the authority 
     to issue subpoenas on behalf of such Committees for the 
     purpose of furthering the impeachment inquiry.


                   ratifying and affirming subpoenas

       Sec. 3. 
       The House of Representatives ratifies and affirms any 
     subpoenas previously issued, pursuant to the authority 
     established by the Constitution of the United States and 
     clause 2(m) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of 
     Representatives, by the Chairs of the Committees on Oversight 
     and Accountability, Ways and Means, or the Judiciary as part 
     of the impeachment inquiry described in the first section of 
     this resolution.


          initiation and intervention in judicial proceedings

       Sec. 4. 
       (a) The chairs of each of the Committees on Oversight and 
     Accountability, Ways and Means, and the Judiciary are 
     authorized, on behalf of such Committees, and with the 
     approval of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to 
     initiate or intervene in any judicial proceeding before a 
     Federal court--
       (1) to seek declaratory judgments and any and all ancillary 
     relief, including injunctive relief, affirming the duty of 
     any recipient of a subpoena authorized, described, ratified 
     or affirmed by the second or third section of this resolution 
     to comply with that subpoena, including the subpoenas issued 
     to--
       (A) Jack Morgan, U.S. Department of Justice; and
       (B) Mark F. Daly, Senior Litigation Counsel, Tax Division, 
     U.S. Department of Justice; and
       (2) to petition for disclosure of--
       (A) information relevant to the impeachment inquiry, 
     pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e), 
     including Rule 6(e)(3)(E) (providing that the court may 
     authorize disclosure of a grand-jury matter ``preliminarily 
     to a * * * judicial proceeding''); and
       (B) materials relevant to the impeachment inquiry currently 
     held by the National Archives and Records Administration, 
     including those to which access may be provided pursuant to 
     section 2205 of title 44, United States Code.
       (b) The chair of each of the Committees on Oversight and 
     Accountability, Ways and Means, and the Judiciary exercising 
     authority described in subsection (a) shall notify the House 
     of Representatives, with respect to the commencement of any 
     judicial proceeding thereunder.
       (c) The Office of General Counsel of the House of 
     Representatives shall, with the authorization of the Speaker, 
     represent any of the Committees on Oversight and 
     Accountability, Ways and Means, and the Judiciary in any 
     judicial proceeding initiated or intervened in pursuant to 
     the authority described in the subsection (a).
       (d) The Office of General Counsel of the House of 
     Representatives is authorized to retain private counsel, 
     either for pay or pro bono, to assist in the representation 
     of any of the Committees on Oversight and Accountability, 
     Ways and Means, and the Judiciary in any judicial proceeding 
     initiated or intervened in pursuant to the authority 
     described in subsection (a).
       (e) In connection with any judicial proceeding brought 
     under subsection (a), the chair of each of the Committees on 
     Oversight and Accountability, Ways and Means, and Judiciary 
     exercising authority thereunder has any and all necessary 
     authority under Article I of the Constitution.

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