IV
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. RES. 520
To establish a Select Committee to Investigate CIA Involvement in Crack
Cocaine Sales to Fund Contras.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 11, 1996
Ms. WATERS submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Rules
RESOLUTION
To establish a Select Committee to Investigate CIA
Involvement in Crack Cocaine Sales to Fund Contras.
Resolved,
(a) There is established in the House of Representa-
tives a select committee to be known as the Select Com-
mittee to Investigate CIA Involvement in Crack Cocaine
Sales to Fund Contras (hereinafter referred to in this res-
olution as the ‘‘select committee’’).
(b) The select committee shall be composed of 15
Members of the House to be appointed by the Speaker,
one of whom he shall designate as chairman, and one of
whom he shall designate as vice chairman. Any vacancy
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occurring in the membership of the select committee shall
be filled in the same manner in which the original appoint-
ment was made.
(c) The select committee is authorized and directed
to conduct a full and complete investigation and study,
and to make such findings and recommendations to the
House as the select committee deems appropriate, regard-
ing the following matters:
(1) Existence of Central Intelligence Agency
files on cocaine purchases and arms transfers to
inner-city south central Los Angeles residents.
(2) Central Intelligence Agency employment of
Danilo Blandon and Edwin Menenses as informants.
(3) Diversion or intended diversion of funds ap-
propriated by Congress for assistance to Nicaraguan
contras or the sale of crack cocaine for such pur-
poses.
(4) Any other matters deemed appropriate or
germane to either Central Intelligence Agency in-
volvement in unauthorized or illegal drug sales or
the use of informants to provide information on sale
of crack cocaine to south central Los Angeles resi-
dents.
(d) One-third of the members of the select committee
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business
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other than the reporting of a matter, which shall require
a majority of the committee to be actually present, except
that the select committee may designate a lesser number,
but not less than two, as a quorum for the purpose of
holding hearings to take testimony. When a quorum for
any particular purpose is present, general proxies may be
counted for that purpose. The select committee may sit
while the House is reading a measure for amendment
under the five-minute rule. The rules of the House shall
govern the select committee where not inconsistent with
this resolution. The select committee shall adopt addi-
tional written rules, which shall be public, to govern its
procedures, which shall not be inconsistent with this reso-
lution or the rules of the House. Such rules may govern
the conduct of the depositions, interviews, and hearings
of the select committee, including the persons present.
(e) The select committee is authorized to sit and act
during the present Congress at such times and places
within the United States, including any Commonwealth or
possession thereof, or in any other country, whether the
House is in session, has recessed, or has adjourned; to
require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance and tes-
timony of such witnesses, the furnishing of information
by interrogatory, and the production of such books,
records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, documents,
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calendars, recordings, data compilations from which infor-
mation can be obtained, tangible objects, and other things
and information of any kind as it deems necessary, includ-
ing all intelligence materials however classified, White
House materials, and materials pertaining to unvouchered
expenditures or concerning communications interceptions
or surveillance; and to obtain evidence in other appropriate
countries with the cooperation of their governments. Un-
less otherwise determined by the select committee the
chairman, upon consultation with the ranking minority
member, or the select committee, shall authorize and issue
subpoenas. Subpoenas shall be issued under the seal of
the House and attested by the Clerk, and may be served
by any persons designated by the chairman or any mem-
ber. Provisions may be included in the rules and process
of the select committee to prevent the disclosure of com-
mittee demands for information. The select committee
may request investigations, reports, and other assistance
from any agency of the executive, legislative, and judicial
branches of the Federal Government.
(f) The chairman, or in his absence the vice chair-
man, or in their absence a member designated by the
chairman, shall preside at all meetings and hearings of
the select committee. All meetings and hearings of the
committee shall be conducted in open session, unless a ma-
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jority of members of the select committee voting, there
being in attendance the requisite number required for the
purpose of hearings to take testimony, vote to close a
meeting or hearing. Pursuant to rule XI(3)(f)(2), coverage
of testimony of subpoenaed witnesses will be limited at
their request, unless a majority of members of the select
committee voting, there being in attendance the requisite
number required for the conduct of business, vote other-
wise.
(g) The chairman, upon consultation with the rank-
ing minority member, may employ and fix the compensa-
tion of such clerks, experts, consultants, technicians, at-
torneys, investigators, and clerical and stenographic as-
sistants as it considers necessary to carry out the purposes
of this resolution. No more than three such staff may re-
ceive compensation corresponding to Executive Level IV.
The select committee shall be deemed a committee of the
House for all purposes of law, including rule XI(2)(n), and
sections 6005, 1505, and 1621 of title 18, section 192 of
title 2, 1754(b)(1)(B)(ii) of title 22, and section 734(a)
of title 31, United States Code. The select committee may
reimburse the members of its staff for travel, subsistence,
and other necessary expenses incurred by them in the per-
formance of the duties vested in the select committee,
other than expenses in connection with meetings of the
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select committee held in the District of Columbia. Staff
of the House or joint committees, at the direction of their
Members, committee chairmen, or the Speaker, as appro-
priate, and upon request of the select committee, may
serve as associate staff to the select committee for des-
ignated purposes. Associate staff shall be deemed staff of
the select committee to the extent necessary for those des-
ignated purposes.
(h) Unless otherwise determined by the select com-
mittee the chairman, upon consultation with the ranking
minority member, or the select committee, may authorize
the taking of affidavits, and of depositions pursuant to
notice or subpoena, by a Member or by designated staff,
under oath administered by a Member or a person other-
wise authorized by law to administer oaths. Deposition
and affidavit testimony shall be deemed to have been
taken in Washington, DC, before the select committee
once filed there with the clerk of the committee for the
committee’s use. Unless otherwise directed by the commit-
tee, all depositions, affidavits, and other materials received
in the investigation shall be considered nonpublic until re-
ceived by the select committee, except that all such mate-
rial shall, unless otherwise directed by the committee, be
available for use by the Members of the select committee
in open session.
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(i) The select committee shall be authorized to re-
spond to any judicial or other process, or to make any
applications to court, upon consultation with the Speak-
er consistent with rule L.
(j) The select committee may submit to standing
committees, including the Permanent Select Committee on
Intelligence, specific matters within their jurisdiction, and
may request that such committees pursue such matters
further. Committees pursuing such requested inquiries
may, in turn, receive the continuing assistance, consistent
with the select committee’s own jurisdiction, of the select
committee’s legal process, personnel, and records. Com-
mittees which pursue or have pursued inquiries, during
the previous or current Congress, within the subjects of
the select committee investigation shall furnish the select
committee with copies of all testimony and documents.
(k) The select committee shall provide other commit-
tees and Members of the House with access to information
and proceedings, consistent with clause 7(c)(2) of rule
XLVIII. However, the select committee may direct that
particular matters or classes of matter shall not be made
available to any person by its members, staff, or others,
or may impose any other restriction. The select committee
may require its staff to enter nondisclosure agreements,
and its chairman, in consultation with the ranking minor-
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ity member, may require others, such as counsel for wit-
nesses, to do so. The Committee on Standards of Official
Conduct may investigate any unauthorized disclosure of
such classified information by a Member, officer, or em-
ployee of the House or other covered person upon request
of the select committee. If, at the conclusion of its inves-
tigation, the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct
determines that there has been a significant unauthorized
disclosure, it shall report its findings to the House and
recommend appropriate sanctions for the Member, officer,
employee, or other covered person consistent with clause
7(e) of rule XLVIII and any committee restriction, includ-
ing nondisclosure agreements.
(l) There shall be paid out of applicable accounts of
the House such sums as may be necessary for the expenses
of the select committee. Such payments shall be maid on
vouchers signed by the chairman and approved in the
manner directed by the Committee on House Oversight.
Amounts made available under this subsection shall be ex-
pended in accordance with regulations prescribed by the
Committee on House Oversight of the House.
(m) The select committee shall report to the House
the final results of its investigation and study as soon as
practicable during the present Congress. Following the fil-
ing of its final report, it shall have one month before the
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authority herein shall expire in order to close its affairs,
including provision of assistance to committees pursuing
remaining inquiries, transmittal of records to other com-
mittees, and storage of its remaining records by the Clerk
of the House, who may, as directed by the select commit-
tee, store records in secure facilities of the intelligence
community pursuant to agreement retaining control of ac-
cess by the House.
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