[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 18838-18839]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would remind all Members that 
remarks in debate may not include personal criticisms of or accusations 
against the President.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, is pointing out that the President 
receives tens of millions of dollars from the drug and insurance 
companies, is that considered a criticism? Is that appropriate to say?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Remarks in debate must avoid personally 
offensive language toward the President.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I was only talking about his actions. 
It is nothing personal. I just thought that tens of millions of dollars 
in contributions which lead to legislation which means bigger profits 
for the insurance and drug companies was shameful. I did not cast 
aspersions on the President himself.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The accusation that the President did not 
tell the truth prompted the Chair's admonition.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. I guess, Mr. Speaker, that I do not know if the 
President told the truth, but people who report to the President that 
should have been informing the President certainly did not tell the 
truth, because they said the bill would cost $400 billion. It cost $534 
billion, and that led to the biggest Medicare premium increase in 
history.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The President's advisors are not protected 
by House rules and practices governing debate.

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