Joe Crowley: “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.'' I would argue there is nothing more of a threat to the integrity of the House of Representatives than ignoring our duty to provide a check and balance, as our Founders expected of us, of 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 that they deserve. The American people know full well the scope of the President's financial background, as related by television and the media; but they don't know the details. Article I, section 9 of the Constitution includes a clause prohibiting foreign emoluments to the President. The Office of Government Ethics 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. Mr. Speaker, we are seeing the President saying one thing, such as mandating the use of American-made steel on American pipelines, then quietly reversing himself to allow the use of foreign-made steel on the Keystone Pipeline, which is being built by a Canadian company. The resolution I am offering can provide the transparency to help ease the concerns of Americans in every corner of our country.…”