Joe Barton: “Mr. Speaker, I am the chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Commerce. We have…”

“Mr. Speaker, I am the chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Commerce. We have not issued a subpoena in the 3 years that we have been in the majority on that subcommittee. I would like to just make a couple of points. Number one, whether we have this rule change or not, the Congress gives the power to ultimately decide whether to televise or not televise to the television networks. They have the right under the first amendment to choose to televise or not to televise. We are not changing that. Number two, any witnesses that are not subpoenaed do not have the right to revoke television coverage. If they choose to appear voluntarily before our committee, and the networks choose to televise that particular hearing, then it is televised. Number three, if we grant this rule change, the committee still has the authority to vote to prohibit cameras if there is a sensitivity involved in the issue that the majority of that committee on a bipartisan basis feels that it should not be televised. So I would hope that we would vote this rule change.”