and submit a resolution which is at the desk.@ The Speaker pro tempore, Representative Steven
LaTourette (R-Ohio), directed the reading clerk to report the resolution. After the resolution had
been read in its entirety, LaTourette announced, AIn the opinion of the Chair, the resolution
constitutes a question of the privileges of the House under rule IX.@ Rule IX defines a question
of House privileges as anything affecting Athe rights of the House collectively, its safety, dignity,
and the integrity of its proceedings.@
The Speaker pro tempore recognized Pelosi for 30 minutes and Representative Nancy
Johnson (R-Conn.), as the designee of the majority leader, for 30 minutes. The resolution Pelosi
offered (H. Res. 474) consisted of a six paragraph preamble, (## email not listed ## clauses) laying out the
background and facts of the alleged breaches of House privileges, followed by a single
## email not listed ## (or action) clause. The controversy swirled around an incident that had occurred in
the early morning hours of November 22, 2003, when the majority leadership held open the
recorded vote on final passage of the Medicare/prescription drug conference report for nearly
three hours, rather than the customary 17 minutes.
Pelosi was protesting the fact that the prolonged vote not only violated the Speaker
=s
own ## email not listed ## for the duration of a vote, but that opponents of the conference report Awere
on the prevailing side for more than two and one-half hours and proponents never once held the
lead during this period of time.@ The sole purpose of the long vote, the preamble continued, Awas
to reverse the position that a majority of the House of Representatives had already taken.@
Moreover, as news accounts would relate, and the Pelosi resolution would repeat, one
Republican member who opposed the conference report, Rep. Nick Smith of Michigan, was
unsuccessfully pressured by colleagues on the floor to switch his vote in return for monetary
support for his son
=s campaign to succeed him at the next election (or the withholding of such
contributions if he did not switch). As the preamble concluded, Athese actions impugn the dignity
and integrity of House proceedings, bring dishonor on Members of Congress, and were a gross
violation of the rights of Members who opposed this legislation.@
The resolving clause stated quite simply:
Resolved, That the House denounces this action in the strongest terms possible,
rejects the practice of holding votes open beyond a reasonable time period for the
sole purpose of circumventing the will of the House, and directs the Speaker to
take such steps as necessary to prevent any further abuse.
Convention