Kenny Hulshof: “I rise, gratefully, in support of this resolution, and applaud you, Mr. Speaker, for allowing it to come to the floor…”

“I rise, gratefully, in support of this resolution, and applaud you, Mr. Speaker, for allowing it to come to the floor for consideration. My colleagues, there are those beyond this venerable hall who would hope that this body would erupt in partisan ethical warfare. There may even be a handful of colleagues who have threatened ethical retaliation against another Member on the other side. There are others that, with tonight's vote, will try to claim some moral or ethical superiority because of the vote; and still others who will continue to seek some political advantage by taking the alleged improprieties of one Member and trying to tarnish the rest of that Member's party. To those that I have described, you need not heed my words. But for the vast majority of my colleagues that I have not described, that are fair and decent and honorable and honest, I say to you, we need a functioning ethics process. Matter of fact, let me rephrase that. This institution requires a credible ethics process. The American public deserves that credible ethics process. The integrity of this institution is at stake. The memory of those who have served, those that are going to come after us who serve, this resolution sets us back on the correct path. I urge its adoption.”