Pete Hoekstra: “80 percent of the American people no longer trust the work that goes on in this House. It is the responsibility of this…”

“80 percent of the American people no longer trust the work that goes on in this House. It is the responsibility of this House to monitor the actions of its Members, to monitor the actions of its different functions. I am personally saddened that many here do not see a problem or do not perceive a need to enhance our reputation, no, not to enhance our reputation but to enhance our performance as perceived by the American people. The American people are demanding more. Today we have an opportunity to deal with substance, to strive for excellence. I hope that that is the course we choose, to aggressively pursue excellence in our conduct. Mr. Speaker, I hear that we have never done it this way before. Maybe it is about time that we do something differently, because what we have been doing has not been good enough. Mr. Speaker, I hear charges that we are on a partisan crusade. We asked for a generic investigation. Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle are the only ones that have mentioned Members names by name. I am sorry that the gentleman from Oklahoma [Mr. Istook] is impatient, that he believes that it is taking too long, but I am delighted that it appears that the gentleman from Oklahoma is the only one that had the courage to recognize that that is what the American people are demanding, that the American people are impatient, that they want us to deal with this issue and they want action now.”