Date: 2005-09-28
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

I do not know where to start here. I have so many things swirling through my head. The both of you have been here a couple of terms now. but I just got here. I am a freshman. I have been here all of 10 months. In January. like you did. but for me it was my first time so it was perhaps a little bit more sacred and special. because you know how it is when you do it your first time. you hold up" your hand and swear to uphold the Constitution. and when you are doing that. you swear to uphold the integrity of this institution. E 2115 We have all served in legislative bodies. The gentleman from Ohio served in Ohio. and the gentleman from Florida and I served in the House and Senate in Florida. One of the things that the staff who have been around a long time. one of the things they impress upon new members. they stress how critical it is that we uphold the integrity of the institution. that the perception of the institution. that each of us as individuals. we impact the perception in .America of the American peoples view of the U.S. House of Representatives. Now there is a pall cast over this House. There is a pall cast over this House because it feels like almost every month since I have been here. there is another Member of this body being accused of something. I recall 11 years ago. in fact. it was 11 years ago Monday. that the Republican Contract With America was issued in 1994. Part of that contract. from my recollection. had to do with the integrity of this House and how the Republican leadership talked then about how they were going to. and they were very sanctimonious about it. they were going to restore integrity to this institution and inspire confidence in the American people. My constituents have a pretty significant difference in the way they define integrity. My kids are watching tonight. The 6yearolds are awake. and they are watching and I have to go home and explain to them why this man is all over the news. and. Mommy. what did he do? I have to have that conversation. as do parents across this country. every other week. The reason that is important is not just because we want to uphold the impression and integrity of this institution. let us bring it home here. It exemplifies why we need an independent commission. If there are Members ethics called into question. how are the American people going to be able to expect and get an independent. objective investigation of what went wrong? The example that the gentleman from Florida just used is a good one. It would be like. to use the example of Enron. -executives saying Mr. Prosecutor. you do not have to do the investigation about what went wrong at Enron. our CEO and our executive board will take care of that.. or Tyco. Now we are doing that in this very House of Representatives. people who have been accused of wrongdoing. for whatever reason. not related to Hurricane Katrina. but we have got to make sure that this institutions integrity is upheld and maintained. While you have people who are in the midst of their own personal situation. it is inappropriate. on top of the fact it was inappropriate to start with. to have a partisan select committee investigate the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. now it is underscored even more so because there are peoples integrity called into question in this Chamber. We need to make sure that we can restore the American peoples confidence in the direction that this country is going. in the job we are doing here. and without an independent investigation of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.. we are not going to be able to do that. I am hopeful in the coming years. I will be able to talk to my kids and tell them this is an institution in which they should be proud that their mom is serving and there are people who are serving in it who have the highest values. -