IV
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. RES. 599
Expressing the sense of the House on a question relating to the privileges
of the House.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 14, 1998
Mr. RIGGS submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Standards of Official Conduct
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the House on a question relating
to the privileges of the House.
Whereas on September 9, 1998, the Office of Independent
Counsel (OIC) advised the House of Representatives that
President William Jefferson Clinton may have engaged in
conduct constituting grounds for an impeachment;
Whereas an Independent Counsel is required by section 595
of title 28 of the United States Code to advise the House
of Representatives of ‘‘any substantial and credible’’ in-
formation that may constitute grounds for an impeach-
ment;
Whereas the OIC report sets out 11 separate, possible
grounds for impeachment of the President, including 5
involving false statements in civil and criminal judicial
proceedings, 4 incidents of obstruction or attempted ob-
•HRES 599 IH
struction of justice relating to those proceedings, 1 in-
stance of witness tampering, and a charge of abuse of au-
thority;
Whereas article I, section 2 of the Constitution of the United
States grants the House of Representatives the sole
power of impeachment;
Whereas the constitutional prerogatives of the House include
its function with respect to impeachment and matters in-
cidental thereto;
Whereas a bipartisan majority of the House of Representa-
tives voted 363–63 on September 11, 1998, to refer the
OIC report to the House Judiciary Committee (H. Res.
525);
Whereas pursuant to said resolution the House Judiciary
Committee has reviewed the OIC report and determined
that ‘‘substantial and credible evidence’’ exists of 15 pos-
sibly impeachable offenses against President Clinton;
Whereas on October 8, 1998, a majority of the House of
Representatives voted 258–176 to authorize and direct
the Committee on the Judiciary to investigate whether
sufficient grounds exist for the impeachment of William
Jefferson Clinton, President of the United States (H.
Res. 581).
Whereas that same day 197 Democratic members of the
House of Representatives voted for the Democratic alter-
native resolution, in the form of a motion to recommit
with instructions, also initiating an impeachment inquiry;
Whereas between the two resolutions described above 429 out
of 435 members of the House of Representatives voted
in the aggregate to proceed with an inquiry of impeach-
ment;
•HRES 599 IH
Whereas Members of Congress have a constitutional obliga-
tion to defend and vindicate the rule of law;
Whereas Members of Congress have sworn an oath to faith-
fully discharge their constitutional duties;
Whereas the Judiciary Committee is planning hearings into
the allegations of felony criminal misconduct by the
President;
Whereas Members of the House are committed to a biparti-
san search for the truth which handles the impeachment
inquiry thoroughly and fairly, with both parties working
together;
Whereas the impeachment inquiry is a quasi-judicial proceed-
ing and the role of individual Judiciary Committee mem-
bers has been likened to that of grand jurors;
Whereas Representative Charles Schumer is a senior member
of the House Judiciary Committee;
Whereas Representative Schumer voted for the Democratic
alternative resolution authorizing and directing the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary to investigate whether sufficient
grounds exist for the impeachment of President Clinton;
Whereas Representative Schumer is a candidate for election
to the United States Senate from New York State;
Whereas on October 12, 1998, President Clinton attended a
fundraising reception for Representative Schumer’s Sen-
ate campaign at the Hilton New York Hotel and Towers
in New York City;
Whereas on October 12, 1998, President Clinton attended a
second fundraising reception for Representative Schu-
mer’s Senate campaign at a private residence in Manhat-
tan, New York City;
•HRES 599 IH
Whereas according to several media reports the fundraising
receptions that President Clinton attended at Representa-
tive Schumer’s invitation netted approximately $1 million
for Representative Schumer’s Senate campaign;
Whereas Representative Schumer’s actions constitute a con-
flict of interest that compromises the integrity of the Ju-
diciary Committee’s deliberations and reflects poorly on
the House of Representatives;
Whereas such actions affect the rights of the House collec-
tively and the dignity and integrity of its proceedings;
Whereas clause 1 of rule 43 of the Code of Official Conduct
under the Rules of the House of Representatives states:
‘‘A Member, officer or employee of the House of Rep-
resentatives shall conduct himself at all times in a man-
ner which shall reflect creditably on the House of Rep-
resentatives;’’
Whereas under the Rules of the House Representative Schu-
mer may voluntarily resign his membership on the House
Judiciary Committee; and
Whereas under the Rules of the House the House Democratic
Caucus may bring a privileged resolution to the House
floor to fill a committee membership vacated by a Demo-
cratic member of the House: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That Representative Charles Schumer is
hereby removed as a member of the House Judiciary Com-
mittee for the remainder of the 105th Congress.
Æ