Mike Levin: “what we have here is, I believe, the first time that the U.S. Senate is going to remove from a committee of jurisdiction…”

“what we have here is, I believe, the first time that the U.S. Senate is going to remove from a committee of jurisdiction its right to investigate something that has been within its jurisdiction traditionally, as has corruption and improper practices. They have been looked into by the Governmental Affairs Committee over the decades. They are specifically referred, in Senate Resolution 54, to the Governmental Affairs Committee. I don't think there is any doubt in anybody's mind--and I will ask the question again--that the Governmental Affairs Committee has jurisdiction to investigate improper practices. Now, that doesn't mean the Rules Committee doesn't have jurisdiction to legislate. It does. But it means that the committee of jurisdiction--this is one of the great investigatory committees of this body, traditionally, which has looked into illegal practices, and legal practices which should be made illegal--is being taken off the case, is being told that what is within its jurisdiction cannot be investigated, even though the unanimous vote of the Governmental Affairs Committee was to investigate improper practices.”