Jerry Lewis: “I do not find myself always happy with what witnesses before our committees have to say. Just because I disagree with…”

“I do not find myself always happy with what witnesses before our committees have to say. Just because I disagree with them does not mean they are not being as complete as they would choose to be. I do not always have witnesses provide me with the answers that are my answers. But I do remember early on in my career here, it was my second term, I was a new member of the Committee on Appropriations. In those days the issues swirled around what was going on in Central America. There was a divide in the House it seemed. Most of the people on that side were very much concerned about changes in Central America. I remember the debates about the Sandinistas and there was discussion that maybe the witnesses were not being totally open and fair and straightforward. It is convenient to point a finger and suggest one administration's witnesses is not being straight, another one is answering questions fully. The fact is that it is pretty obvious we expect people to be straightforward with us. I would suggest if the gentleman really has a problem in some of his committees, he might want to urge that people take the oath everywhere. I do not tend to follow that pattern in my own committees. But indeed it is important to recognize that people in public service, whether they are working for the administration, maybe working for the State Department or otherwise, do come to us generally and try to do as full a service as they possibly can.…”