Title: Disapproving the manner in which Chairman Adam B. Schiff of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and Chairman Jerrold Lewis Nadler of the Committee on the Judiciary have conducted committee action during the impeachment inquiry of President Donald John Trump.
Policy area: Congress

Summary:
This resolution condemns (1) Chairman Schiff of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence for abuse of power, and (2) the manner in which Chairman Nadler of the Committee on the Judiciary has failed to respond to the minority's request for an additional day of hearings to consider the impeachment of President Trump.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 770 Laid on Table in House (LTH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 770

    Disapproving the manner in which Chairman Adam B. Schiff of the 
 Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and Chairman Jerrold Lewis 
   Nadler of the Committee on the Judiciary have conducted committee 
 action during the impeachment inquiry of President Donald John Trump.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 18, 2019

Mr. McCarthy submitted the following resolution; which was laid on the 
                                 table

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Disapproving the manner in which Chairman Adam B. Schiff of the 
 Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and Chairman Jerrold Lewis 
   Nadler of the Committee on the Judiciary have conducted committee 
 action during the impeachment inquiry of President Donald John Trump.

Whereas Chairman Schiff and Chairman Nadler willfully and intentionally violated 
        the Rules of the House of Representatives by abusing and exceeding their 
        powers as Chairmen of Committees;
Whereas, on September 9, 2019, without consultation of the Ranking Minority 
        Member, in violation of rule 9 of the Rules of the Permanent Select 
        Committee on Intelligence, Chairman Schiff, in coordination with the 
        Committees on Oversight and Reform and Foreign Affairs announced a wide-
        ranging investigation into the ``Trump-Giuliani Ukraine scheme'';
Whereas, on September 26, 2019, in an unprecedented action, Chairman Schiff 
        unilaterally released a redacted version of the August 2019 
        whistleblower complaint;
Whereas, on September 26, 2019, in his opening statement at a public hearing, 
        Chairman Schiff engaged in a false retelling of the July 25, 2019, 
        telephone conversation between President Trump and President Zelensky;
Whereas, on November 20, 2019, a letter was transmitted from the Ranking 
        Minority Member to Chairman Schiff requesting, pursuant to House 
        Resolution 660, the concurrence of the chair to issue certain subpoenas;
Whereas, on November 20, 2019, after excusing the witnesses at an open hearing, 
        and without prior notice to the Republicans on the Committee, Chairman 
        Schiff announced that the Committee had a ``business matter to take up'' 
        and convened an impromptu business meeting to consider the Ranking 
        Minority Member's November 20 request concerning certain subpoenas;
Whereas, on November 20, 2019, Chairman Schiff violated clause 2(g)(3) of rule 
        XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, which states, ``The 
        chair of a committee shall announced the date, place, and subject matter 
        of . . . a committee meeting, which may not commence earlier than the 
        third calendar day . . . on which members have notice thereof'';
Whereas, on November 20, 2019, Chairman Schiff's actions further violated 
        paragraph 4(B) of House Resolution 660, which states, ``In the case that 
        the chair declines to concur in a proposed action of the ranking 
        minority member . . . the ranking minority member shall have the right 
        to refer to the committee for decision the question whether such 
        authority shall be so exercised and the chair shall convene the 
        committee promptly to render that decision, subject to the notice 
        procedures for a committee meeting under clause 2(g)(3)(A) and (B) of 
        rule XI'';
Whereas, on November 21, 2019, pursuant to clause 2(j)(1) of rule XI of the 
        Rules of the House of Representatives, all Republican Members on the 
        Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence wrote to Chairman Schiff 
        demanding to call witnesses at a minority day of hearings;
Whereas, subsequent to receiving the request for an additional day of hearings 
        by members of the minority party, Chairman Schiff refused to schedule 
        such hearings;
Whereas, on December 6, 2019, Chairman Schiff, without consultation of the 
        Ranking Minority Member, in violation of section 3 of House Resolution 
        660, unilaterally transmitted additional records and other materials to 
        the Committee on the Judiciary;
Whereas Chairman Schiff compelled the production of documents from AT&T and 
        Verizon and, in violation of clause 2(k)(6) of rule XI of the Rules of 
        the House of Representatives, publicly used these documents to smear the 
        personal attorneys of the President, a journalist, and to create a false 
        narrative about a sitting Member of Congress and current and former 
        congressional staff;
Whereas on multiple occasions in both closed-door depositions and public 
        hearings, Chairman Schiff abused his power as chair by unilaterally 
        restricting Republican lines of questions and supporting witnesses' 
        attempts to evade answering Republicans' [or ``the minority's''] 
        questions by directing witnesses not to answer certain questions from 
        Republican Members and staff;
Whereas on multiple occasions in both closed-door depositions and public 
        hearings, Chairman Schiff abused his power as chair by failing to follow 
        proper parliamentary procedure, failing to recognize Members who wished 
        to raise valid points of order, and repeatedly interrupting Republican 
        Members and staff when they controlled the time;
Whereas at the House Judiciary Committee's first hearing pursuant to House 
        Resolution 660, on December 4, 2019, Chairman Nadler was furnished with 
        a request for a minority day of hearings, pursuant to clause 2(j)(1) of 
        rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, signed by all 
        Republican Members of the Committee;
Whereas subsequent to receiving the request for an additional day of hearings by 
        members of the minority party, Chairman Nadler refused to schedule such 
        hearings;
Whereas Ranking Minority Member Collins furnished Chairman Nadler with a letter 
        reminding him of his obligation to schedule a minority day of hearings, 
        as requested by members of the minority party, and Chairman Nadler 
        ignored the letter and failed to respond;
Whereas Chairman Nadler repeatedly misstated the rules, misguiding members of 
        the Committee and the American people, and refused to rule properly on 
        members' points of order concerning the requested minority hearing day;
Whereas Chairman Nadler refused to consider the scheduling of the minority 
        hearing day during a committee meeting until the markup of articles of 
        impeachment;
Whereas in place of finding common ground with the minority, Chairman Schiff and 
        Chairman Nadler have constantly disregarded the Rules of the House of 
        Representatives and ignored the fundamental rights of the minority; and
Whereas Chairman Schiff's and Chairman Nadler's actions and abuses of power as 
        chairmen of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the 
        Committee on the Judiciary have willfully trampled on the rights of the 
        minority in violation of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
        brought dishonor and discredit upon the House of Representatives: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the House of Representatives strongly condemns Chairman 
        Adam B. Schiff for repeated and blatant abuse of power in a way 
        that is not befitting an elected Member of the House of 
        Representatives nor his position as Chairman; and
            (2) the House of Representatives strongly condemns the 
        manner in which Chairman Jerrold Lewis Nadler has failed to 
        respond to the minority's request for an additional day of 
        hearings to consider the impeachment of President Donald John 
        Trump.
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