House of Representatives E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 105 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 143 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1997 No. 4 The House met at 12 noon and was Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- The Chair has often reiterated that called to order by the Speaker pro tem- nal stands approved. Members should refrain from ref- pore [Mr. BEREUTER]. f erences in debate to the conduct of f other Members where such conduct is PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE not the question actually pending be- DESIGNATION OF THE SPEAKER fore the House, either by way of a re- PRO TEMPORE The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. TRAFICANT] port from the Committee on Standards The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- come forward and lead the House in the of Official Conduct or by way of an- fore the House the following commu- Pledge of Allegiance. other question of the privileges of the nication from the Speaker: Mr. TRAFICANT led the Pledge of House. January 21, 1997. Allegiance as follows: I hereby designate the Honorable DOUG BE- This principle is documented on I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the REUTER to act as Speaker pro tempore on pages 168 and 526 of the House Rules this day. United States of America, and to the Repub- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, and Manual and reflects the consistent NEWT GINGRICH, rulings of the Chair in this and in prior Speaker of the House of Representatives. indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Congresses. It derives its force pri- f f marily from clause 1 of rule XIV which PRAYER MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT broadly prohibits engaging in personal- The Chaplain, Rev. James David Sundry messages in writing from the ity in debate. It has been part of the Ford, D.D., offered the following pray- President of the United States were rules of the House since 1789. er: communicated to the House by Mr. On the other hand, the calling up of We join in the words of the Psalmist Sherman Williams, one of his secretar- a resolution reported by the Commit- who wrote: ``Behold how good and ies. tee on Standards of Official Conduct, or pleasant it is when God's people dwell f the offering of a resolution as a similar in unity. It is like the precious oil upon question of the privileges of the House, the head, running down upon the beard, IN THE MATTER OF embarks the House on consideration of upon the beard of Aaron, running down REPRESENTATIVE NEWT GINGRICH a proposition that admits references in on the collar of his robes. It is like the Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. Mr. debate to a Member's conduct. Discipli- dew of Hermon, which falls on the Speaker, pursuant to rule IX and by di- nary matters by their very nature in- mountains of Zion. For there the Lord rection of the Select Committee on volve personalities. has commanded the blessing, life for- Ethics, I send to the desk a privileged Still, this exception to the general evermore.'' resolution (H. Res. 31) in the matter of Among all Your bountiful favors to rule against engaging in personalityÐ Representative NEWT GINGRICH, and us, O gracious God, is the knowledge admitting references to a Member's ask for its immediate consideration. that You have created every person in conduct when that conduct is the very The Clerk read the resolution, as fol- Your image and You have blessed every lows: question under consideration by the person with those gifts that make us HouseÐis closely limited. This point HOUSE RESOLUTION 31 truly human: the gifts of justice and was well stated on July 31, 1979, as fol- mercy, the gifts of peace and good will, IN THE MATTER OF REPRESENTATIVE NEWT lows: While a wide range of discussion GINGRICH the gifts of unity and common purpose. is permitted during debate on a dis- Resolved, That the House adopt the report May all Your blessings, O God, that ciplinary resolution, clause 1 of rule of the Select Committee on Ethics dated flow from the early morn to the last XIV still prohibits the use of language light, be with each of us and remain January 17, 1997, In the Matter of Represent- ative Newt Gingrich. which is personally abusive. This is re- with us all our days. corded in the Deschler-Brown Proce- In Your name we pray. Amen. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The res- dure in the House of Representatives in f olution constitutes a question of privi- lege and may be called up at any time. chapter 12, at section 2.11. THE JOURNAL ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE On the question now pending before The SPEAKER pro tempore. The The SPEAKER pro tempore. Before the House, the resolution offered by Chair has examined the Journal of the we proceed, the Chair will have a state- the gentlewoman from Connecticut, last day's proceedings and announces ment about the decorum expected of Members should confine their remarks to the House his approval thereof. the Members. in debate to the merits of that precise 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. H171 H172 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE January 21, 1997 question. Members should refrain from Each Member of Congress, especially b 1215 remarks that constitute personalities those in positions of leadership, shoul- Despite the pressures, we bring you with respect to members of the Com- ders the responsibility of avoiding even today a bipartisan recommendation re- mittee on Standards of Official Con- the appearance of impropriety. Rep- solving the most complex charge duct or the Select Committee on Eth- resentative GINGRICH failed to exercise against Representative NEWT GINGRICH. ics or with respect to other sitting the discipline and caution of his office I ask for both my colleagues' rejection Members whose conduct is not the sub- and so is subject to penalty today. ject of the pending report. Finally, As I have said, the penalty rec- of the partisanship and animosity that Members should exercise care to main- ommended by the committee is tough has so deeply permeated the work of tain an atmosphere of mutual respect. and unprecedented. In past cases of the House and for their support of the On January 27, 1909, the House adopt- this nature, the House has reprimanded committee's resolution. ed a report that stated the following: It a Member only where the Member was Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of is the duty of the House to require its found to have intentionally made false my time. Members in speech or debate to pre- statements to the Ethics Committee. Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield serve that proper restraint which will In this case, the committee rec- myself such time as I may consume. permit the House to conduct its busi- ommended a reprimand of Representa- ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE ness in an orderly manner and without tive GINGRICH even though the state- unnecessarily and unduly exciting ani- ment of alleged violations did not as- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- mosity among its Members. sert that he intentionally misled the tleman will suspend. This is recorded in Cannon's Prece- committee. Likewise in past cases The Chair notes a disturbance in the dents in volume 8 at section 2497. where the committee imposed mone- visitors' gallery in contravention of The report adopted on that occasion tary sanctions on a Member, the com- the laws and the rules of the House. responded to improper references in de- mittee found that the Member had The Doorkeepers and police, the Chair bate to the President, but it articu- been personally enriched by the mis- believes, have already acted, but shall lated a principle that occupants of the conduct. The committee made no such act to remove from the gallery those Chair over many Congresses have held finding against Representative GING- persons participating in a disturbance. equally applicable to Members' re- RICH, yet recommends that a cost reim- If there is an outburst from the visi- marks toward each other. bursement of $300,000 be paid to the tors' gallery, the Chair will make this The Chair asks and expects the co- House by him. statement but will insist on order. operation of all Members in maintain- The report before us contains several ing a level of decorum that properly The Chair recognizes the gentleman hundred pages of exhibits and a de- dignifies the proceedings of the House. from Maryland [Mr. CARDIN]. The gentlewoman from Connecticut tailed analysis of the subcommittee's Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, as I have findings. The allegations and the key [Mrs. JOHNSON] is recognized for 1 hour. said, this is a sad moment for the Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. Mr. facts supporting them were laid out by House of Representatives. One of our Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the special counsel during a public Members has admitted to a serious vio- debate on the resolution be extended hearing on January 17. The commit- lation of the House rules. This process for a half an hour. tee's recommendations before you and this admission affects not only The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there today end 2 long years of work.