IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 590 

Raising a question of the privileges of the House. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 

Mr. MCCARTHY submitted the following resolution; which was laid on the 

table 

RESOLUTION 

Raising a question of the privileges of the House. 

Whereas at a press conference on September 24, 2019, 

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi stated: ‘‘Therefore 

today, I’m announcing the House of Representatives is 

moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry.’’; 

Whereas House Practice states that: ‘‘Under the modern 

practice, an impeachment is normally instituted by the 

House by the adoption of a resolution calling for a committee investigation of charges against the officer in 

question.’’; 

Whereas in the past 25 years, the House of Representatives 

has moved forward with impeachment against a Federal 

officer three times, each initiated by an impeachment inquiry resolution approved by the full House, not by a unilateral decree of the Speaker; 


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2 

HRES 590 LTH 

Whereas, on May 12, 2009, the House approved H. Res. 424, 

authorizing and directing the Committee on the Judiciary 

to inquire whether the House should impeach Samuel B. 

Kent, a judge of the United States District Court for the 

Southern District of Texas; 

Whereas, on January 13, 2009, the House approved H. Res. 

15, authorizing and directing the Committee on the Judiciary to inquire whether the House should impeach G. 

Thomas Porteous, a judge of the United States District 

Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana; 

Whereas, on October 8, 1998, the House approved H. Res. 

581, authorizing and directing the Committee on the Judiciary to investigate whether sufficient grounds exist for 

the impeachment of William Jefferson Clinton, President 

of the United States; 

Whereas the Committee Report to accompany H. Res. 581 

stated: ‘‘Because the issue of impeachment is of such 

overwhelming importance, the Committee decided that it 

must receive authorization from the full House before 

proceeding on any further course of action.’’; 

Whereas that report further stated: ‘‘Because impeachment is 

delegated solely to the House of Representatives by the 

Constitution, the full House of Representatives should be 

involved in critical decision making regarding various 

stages of impeachment.’’; 

Whereas the Speaker’s extraordinary decision to move forward with an impeachment inquiry without any debate or 

vote on such a resolution by the full House undermines 

the voting privileges afforded to each Member and the 

constituents they represent; and 


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HRES 590 LTH 

Whereas this unprecedented and politically motivated decision 

by Speaker Pelosi represents an abuse of power and 

brings discredit to the House of Representatives: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives dis2 approves of the actions of the Speaker of the House, Mrs. 

3 Pelosi of California, to initiate an impeachment inquiry 

4 against the duly elected President of the United States, 

5 Donald J. Trump. 

Æ 


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