Bill Pascrell: “Under rule IX, clause 1, questions of the privileges of the House are ``those affecting the rights of the House…”

“Under rule IX, clause 1, questions of the privileges of the House are ``those affecting the rights of the House collectively, its safety, dignity, and the integrity of its proceedings.'' There is nothing more of a threat to the integrity of this House than ignoring our duty to provide a check and balance to the executive branch. To restore the dignity of the House, we must use our authority to request President Trump's tax returns and give the American people the transparency they deserve. The American people demand, Mr. Speaker, to know the full scope of the President's financial background. Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution includes a clause prohibiting foreign emoluments to the President. The Office of Government Ethics--I can't stress this enough--has warned us about the President's decision not to divest or set up a blind trust. And there is a need to fully understand the President's ties to Russia. The resolution I am offering can provide the transparency to help ease the concerns of Americans across the Nation. The Internal Revenue Code includes language laying out a path for the Ways and Means Committee to obtain the tax returns and review them in a respectful manner, and there is the precedent of that provision being used. Mr. Speaker, that decision to put this into the code in 1924 was a result of the very famous scandal of 1923, the Teapot Dome, from Teapot Rock, Wyoming, under President Harding.…”