Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 105 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 105 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 144 WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1998 No. 120 House of Representatives The House met at 9 a.m. S. 2071. An Act to extend a quarterly finan- be deemed to have been received in executive The Chaplain, Reverend James David cial report program administered by the Sec- session unless it is received in an open ses- Ford, D.D., offered the following pray- retary of Commerce. sion of the committee. f SEC. 4. Notwithstanding clause 2(e) of rule er: XI, access to executive-session material of With all the striving and energy that ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER the committee relating to the review shall we use to make our mark, we pray, Al- The SPEAKER. One minutes will be be restricted to members of the committee, mighty God, that we would also slow and to such employees of the committee as at the end of legislative business today. our pace and listen to Your still small may be designated by the chairman after voice that speaks to us in our hearts f consultation with the ranking minority and in our minds. Just as we learn to PROVIDING FOR DELIBERATIVE member. SEC. 5. Notwithstanding clause 2(g) of rule speak, so may we learn to listen; just REVIEW BY COMMITTEE ON THE XI, each meeting, hearing, or deposition of as we declare our ideas, so may we re- JUDICIARY OF COMMUNICATION the committee relating to the review shall flect on what others teach us; just as FROM INDEPENDENT COUNSEL be conducted in executive session unless oth- we hear the voices around us, so may Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, by di- erwise determined by an affirmative vote of Your gracious word speak to us in the the committee, a majority being present. rection of the Committee on Rules, I Such an executive session may be attended depths of our souls, redeeming, forgiv- call up House Resolution 525, and ask ing, uniting us in faith and hope and only by members of the committee, and by for its immediate consideration. such employees of the committee as may be love. May Your blessings, O God, be- The Clerk read the resolution, as fol- designated by the chairman after consulta- come new to us each morning and be lows: tion with the ranking minority member. with us all the day long. This is our H. RES. 525 The SPEAKER. Pursuant to the earnest prayer. Amen. Resolved, That the Committee on the Judi- order of the House of Thursday, Sep- f ciary shall review the communication re- tember 10, 1998, the gentleman from THE JOURNAL ceived on September 9, 1998, from an inde- New York (Mr. SOLOMON) is recognized pendent counsel pursuant to section 595(c) of for 2 hours. The SPEAKER. The Chair has exam- title 28, United States Code, transmitting a Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, for pur- ined the Journal of the last day's pro- determination that substantial and credible poses of debate only, and pursuant to ceedings and announces to the House information received by the independent the order of the House of September 10, his approval thereof. counsel in carrying out his responsibilities 1998, I yield 60 minutes to the gen- Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- under chapter 40 of title 28, United States Code, may constitute grounds for an im- tleman from Massachusetts (Mr. MOAK- nal stands approved. peachment of the President of the United LEY), pending which I yield myself such f States, and related matters, to determine time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, whether sufficient grounds exist to rec- during consideration of this resolution, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ommend to the House that an impeachment all time yielded is for the purposes of The SPEAKER. Will the gentleman inquiry be commenced. Until otherwise or- debate only. from Nevada (Mr. GIBBONS) come for- dered by the House, the review by the com- Mr. Speaker, as we start off, I want ward and lead the House in the Pledge mittee shall be governed by this resolution. to commend the Speaker for his state- of Allegiance. SEC. 2. The material transmitted to the ment yesterday from the chair asking House by the independent counsel shall be that the House conduct itself in the Mr. GIBBONS led the Pledge of Alle- considered as referred to the committee. The giance as follows: portion of such material consisting of ap- highest decorum possible. It was elo- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the proximately 445 pages comprising an intro- quent on your part and was concurred United States of America, and to the Repub- duction, a narrative, and a statement of in by the Minority Leader Mr. GEP- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, grounds, shall be printed as a document of HARDT. We would remind Members of indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the House. The balance of such material that. We have a copy of that at the f shall be deemed to have been received in ex- desk should Members want to refresh ecutive session, but shall be released from their memory. MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE the status on September 28, 1998, except as Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 525 A message from the Senate by Mr. otherwise determined by the committee. Ma- provides for a deliberative review of terial so released shall immediately be sub- Lundregan, one of its clerks, an- mitted for printing as a document of the the House Judiciary Committee of the nounced that the Senate had passed a House. communication from the independent bill of the following title, in which the SEC. 3. Additional material compiled by counsel and also provides for the appro- concurrence of the House is requested: the committee during the review also shall priate release of that communication. b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H7587 . H7588 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE September 11, 1998 Mr. Speaker, I think I speak for tained in the appendices which may crats who raised a parliamentary in- many Members this morning in saying contain telephone records, videotapes, quiry on Wednesday when the commu- that this is a day which we hoped in testimony and other sensitive mate- nication was read to the House de- our careers in public service would rial, including the 17 boxes of other manding full and complete access. never come. I came here with you 20 supporting information. There was the senior member of this years ago and I certainly, and I know The method of the dissemination and body, the Dean of this entire body, the you did, hoped such a day would never potential restrictions on access to this gentleman from Michigan (Mr. JOHN come. information is set forth in this resolu- DINGELL) who insisted on that. Other There certainly is no joy in bringing tion. The resolution provides that the Members on our side of the aisle in- forward this kind of a resolution. Only Committee on the Judiciary with the sisted on that. Still another Demo- a sense of the gravity of our task ahead ability to review the communications cratic member proposed a resolution and our mindful and constitutional re- to determine whether grounds exist to last night in the Committee on Rules sponsibilities make us do this. recommend to the House that an im- requiring full disclosure of the entire Mr. Speaker, as the Members and the peachment inquiry be commenced. The communication immediately. He at public are well aware by now, the inde- resolution provides for an immediate that time wanted us to substitute and pendent counsel delivered a commu- release of approximately 445 pages, make that amendment in order, which nication to the House of Representa- again comprised of an introduction, a we did not do. tives on Wednesday, September 9, and narrative, and a statement of so-called This resolution is an adequate middle it was pursuant to the independent ``grounds.'' This will be printed as a ground. It recognizes the public's right counsel law, which is the law of the House document and available to the to know, and hence, for Members and land. That law requires, in pertinent Internet and other Web sites today as their constituents to engage in a dia- part, that an independent counsel shall soon as technologically possible, which logue about all of this material. It also advise the House of Representatives, will be hopefully about 2 hours after acknowledges the Committee on the and this is quoting from the law, ``of this resolution passes the House. Judiciary's proper role of sifting any substantial or credible informa- The balance of the material will be through all the material, while placing tion'' which the independent counsel deemed to have been received in execu- the burden in favor of more release receives himself or herself, ``which may tive session of the Committee on the rather than less. It is anticipated that constitute grounds for an impeach- Judiciary, but will be released from the Committee on the Judiciary will ment,'' and that is the law of the land. that status by no later than September require additional procedural or inves- Of course, the Constitution vests the 28, 1998, and will be released piecemeal tigative authorities to adequately re- sole power of impeachment with this as the Committee on the Judiciary de- view the communications in the future.