Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, while I support our committee's efforts to obtain all of the relevant information regarding the Travel Office firings, I do not believe that this resolution, which grants authority to staff to conduct sworn depositions, is necessary. Let me add, however, that earlier today the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight adopted procedures to implement the resolution which accord full rights to the minority and the witnesses, and I supported these procedures. The authority granted under this resolution is unnecessary and unwarranted. House Resolution 369 is an unprecedented grant of authority to the staff of a standing committee during the course of an ongoing investigation on the eve of a Presidential election. Under such troubling circumstances, there is a heavy burden on the proponents of the resolution to show a compelling need for such authority. We should not act just for the convenience of the staff, or because of an isolated case of a reluctant witness. There must be a convincing case that without this authority, the committee cannot complete its investigation. I do not believe that this threshold has been met.”