David Obey: “it's obvious how reluctant the gentleman is to bring this before the body. He has offered an amendment which does…”

“it's obvious how reluctant the gentleman is to bring this before the body. He has offered an amendment which does absolutely nothing in order to give him an opportunity to talk about something he says he doesn't want to talk about. Only in Washington would that be believable. Let me simply say that I think I know something about the Code of Ethics in this House. I wrote the Code of Ethics in this House in the 1970s, and I think I know something about what this House regards as a conflict of interest. Let me simply point out that the gentleman from Iowa has objected to a Member of the House chairing a subcommittee which oversees the agencies that he says are involved in an investigation of that Member. The fact is that that gentleman in question has recused himself from all matters relating to the FBI, the Attorney General, the Criminal Division, and U.S. attorneys. That's why I am here on the floor handling those portions of the bill today. The gentleman in question has not reviewed any reprogramming letters. He has not reviewed any Member requests for any of the attendant agencies involved in that investigation. He has not presided over any hearings. He has not participated or made any recommendations with respect to funding either on this bill or in the continuing resolution. So let me simply say that if the gentleman has a strong view about what the House rules ought to be, then the proper place to take that up is not on an appropriation bill.”