IV

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. RES. 450

To provide that the House make public in printed form all transcripts and

other relevant documents from any House Administration Committee

investigation of the House Post Office as soon as possible.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 9, 1994

Mr. MICHEL submitted the following resolution; which was considered and

agreed to

RESOLUTION

To provide that the House make public in printed form

all transcripts and other relevant documents from any

House Administration Committee investigation of the

House Post Office as soon as possible.

Whereas, on July 22, 1992, the House of Representatives

voted to transmit to the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct the committee report and all records obtained by the Task Force to Investigate the Operation

and Management of the House Post Office;

Whereas the report of the Committee on House Administration selectively included portions of the transcript of the

proceedings of the task force in the appendix of their report;
2

HRES 450 ATH

Whereas efforts in the 102d Congress to release the full transcript of the task force were defeated in the House on

July 22, 1992, and July 23, 1992, and again on July 22,

1993;

Whereas the former Postmaster of the House of Representatives, Robert V. Rota, from 1978 continuing until April

1992 has admitted to conspiring with other persons to

commit offenses against the United States;

Whereas the former Postmaster has pled guilty to making

false statements to the task force and during interviews

with United States Postal Inspectors and the congressional committee investigating the House post office;

Whereas the former Postmaster admitted to engaging in a

coverup of the exchange of vouchers and postage stamps

for cash beginning in May 1980 and continuing throughout the House investigation of the post office;

Whereas the integrity of the House of Representatives has

been impugned by the actions of Mr. Rota and others;

Whereas, on July 23, 1993, the House approved a privileged

resolution offered by the majority leader that stated:

‘‘That it is the sense of the House that should the United

States Attorney for the District of Columbia at any time

inform the House that he has no objection to the public

release of the transcripts of proceedings of the former

Task Force, then the House shall consider immediately

the question of whether and under what circumstances

the transcripts of proceedings of the former task force

should be released to the public.’’; and

Whereas the United States attorney for the District of Columbia has indicated in a letter to the Speaker and the

minority leader that ‘‘in light of recent action by the
3

HRES 450 ATH

grand jury in the criminal investigation, this Office no

longer objects to the public release of the materials in

question.’’: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House make public in printed

2 form all transcripts and other relevant documents from

3 any House Administration committee investigation of the

4 House Post Office as soon as possible.

5 Resolved further, That the majority and minority

6 leader shall each designate a Member to review the mate7 rials and that these materials shall be made public unless

8 the designees agree to the contrary.

Æ