House Ethics Vote

House weakens ethics rules -- Foxes again guarding the chicken coup!

Sources: Congressional Reform Briefings, Congressional Observer Publications

On September 18, 1997, the U.S. House of Representatives agreed (Roll Call Vote No. 413 -- H. Res. 168) to implement the recommendations of the bipartisan House Ethics Reform Task Force.

While one would expect an improvement in the ethics rules in the House, quite the opposite is true. Congressional Reform Briefings, a Public Citizen group that researches and proposes reform measures in Congress, called the flawed measure the "Corrupt Politicians Protection Act" and pushed to have it defeated.

They lost, and Congress members won. The benefits were just too tempting to members of the House and it passed the measure with 258 ayes to 154 noes (5 yeas, 3 noes and one not voting in Wisconsin). Neumann’s not voting was, effectively, a YEA vote, allowing the bill to pass without having to answer to his constituents.

Voting IN FAVOR OF weakening House ethics rules, against the best interest of citizens, were:

Johnson (D) Dist. 08 Y

Kleczka (D) Dist. 04 Y

Klug (R) Dist. 02 Y

Petri (R) Dist. 06 Y

Sensenbrenner (R) Dist. 09 Y

Neumann (R) Dist. 01 X

Voting AGAINST weakening House ethics rules were:

Barrett (D) Dist. 05 N

Kind (D) Dist. 03 N

Obey (D) Dist. 07 N

Note that a complete listing of US Representative's votes is at the bottom of this page.

OVERVIEW:

At a time when public confidence in Congress is at an alltime low (with a 19% approval rating), the U.S. House of Representatives has weakened its own internal process for policing corruption. Their rules are already ineffective and discredited, and HR 168 further weakens them.

In February, following two years of turmoil in the House ethics process, Majority Leader Richard Armey (R-TX) and Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-MO) appointed a Task Force to review the ethics process, co-chaired by Reps. Robert Livingston (R-LA) and Benjamin Cardin (D-MD).

The rules just passed by the House will undermine efforts to identify, investigate, and punish corruption, influence-peddling and abuse of power in the House of Representatives. It will likely lead to de facto non-enforcement of House ethics rules, and a climate where corruption would be increasingly possible.

The Task Force's report is business as usual. It mainly reflects the lobbying efforts of career politicians who wish to protect themselves from ethics scrutiny. It is the job of the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct ("Ethics Committee") to provide this scrutiny -- to vigorously investigate possible violations and punish wrongdoers.

BACKGROUND:

During the 104th Congress, the House Ethics Committee maintained a policy of liberal permissiveness toward House Members. It too often acted as a shield for Members to hide behind, instead of diligently enforcing House Rules. The Ethics Committee's worst problems were:

Investigative sluggishness, delays, and foot-dragging;

Procedural barriers that prevented or delayed the filing of ethics complaints;

Investigative failures and incompetence;

Failure to authorize outside counsel to investigate ethics complaints;

Failure to punish repeat violations of House Rules;

Unwillingness of the Ethics Committee to receive evidence;

Failure to initiate investigations; and,

Improper "horse-trading" and linking of unrelated ethics matters.

How the Task Force Could Have Repaired the House Ethics Process:

Four principal reforms are needed to repair the House ethics process:

Send ethics complaints routinely to outside counsel for investigation;

Eliminate unnecessary delays in the initial phases of the ethics process;

Eliminate barriers that prevent citizens from directly filing ethics complaints; and

Punish Members who break House ethics rules.

The Task Force rejected these reforms almost entirely. The House ethics process should routinely hire independent investigators to restore its damaged credibility. Without outside investigators, the ethics process is essentially peer review by "good ol' boy" career politicians -- not a professional, non-partisan, impartial investigative process. The hiring of outside counsel James Cole made part of the Gingrich ethics process work relatively smoothly. Installing outside investigators in the ethics process is, by far, the most important possible reform, but the Task Force dismissed it.

"The task force seems not to have absorbed the main lesson of the Gingrich case, which is the value of using independent fact-finders to investigate complaints as a way to lessen the partisan logjams and the political and personal pressures members face when judging their peers." ("The House Ethics Moratorium," New York Times, June 8, 1997.)

"The current House ethics process does not simply need fine tuning. It needs major revisions, particularly an enhanced role for an independent, outside presence. The Task Force's proposed revisions will not correct a flawed process, and several flatly go in the wrong direction, further damaging the ethics process." (Letter from Common Cause President Ann McBride to Representatives Livingston and Cardin, June 10, 1997.)

The Task Force Report Will Make It Harder For Americans to File Ethics Complaints

H. Res. 168 implements an outrageous new restriction on the ability of citizens' to file ethics complaints. It specifically excludes news accounts as grounds for a citizen complaint -- even though most recent ethics cases were first brought to light by news accounts. Those cases include: former Speaker Jim Wright (D-TX), former Senator Bob Packwood (R-OR), House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA), former Rep. Barbara-Rose Collins (D-MI), House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-TX), and House Transportation Committee Chairman Bud Shuster (R-PA).

Imagine if the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and Washington Post were all to publish accounts of wrongdoing by a House Member. If there were no documents available, nor witnesses willing to describe the wrongdoing, then citizens would be excluded from directly filing a House ethics complaint. Such an outcome would be unacceptable.

To further protect Members from scrutiny, the H. Res. 168 eliminates an important provision enabling citizens to file ethics complaints with "letters of refusal" from three Members. Currently, citizens may file an ethics complaint in one of two ways: either they can get a "letter of transmittal" from a Member or they can get three "letters of refusal" from three Members refusing to transmit. Since Members are usually afraid to provide a "letter of transmittal" against a powerful colleague, and the Ethics Committee is disinclined to initiate its own investigations, the "letters of refusal" provision is particularly important for holding powerful Members to account.

The Congressional Accountability Project used this provision to file complaints against Majority Whip Tom DeLay and Chairman Bud Shuster.

"The task force wants to prohibit filing complaints by three letters of refusal. This would almost certainly prevent investigations, because ...members will readily write letters saying they have no intention of accusing a colleague, but they are usually unwilling to make a charge directly on a letter of transmittal." ("Congress Votes Itself A Police Holiday." Fresno Bee, August 29, 1997.)

The Task Force Was Damaged by a Major Conflict of Interest

Incredibly, the Special Counsel to the ethics Task Force was also an attorney representing the subject of an ethics complaint involving a powerful Member of Congress. The Task Force hired Richard Leon as its Special Counsel, even though Leon is also counsel to top transportation lobbyist Ann Eppard. In Boston, federal prosecutors are investigating Chairman Bud Shuster's ties to Eppard. Although Eppard is a lobbyist, she also acts as Chairman Shuster's Washington fund-raiser, political aide, press aide, and special interest liaison. She is also a central figure in the Congressional Accountability Project's ethics complaint against Chairman Shuster.

"Washington is renowned as a city full of lawyers. So how come the task force charged with writing new rules for the House's troubled ethics committee hired as its outside counsel a lawyer with a clear conflict of interest?....[Richard Leon's] role as Eppard's lawyer involves him in an unacceptable conflict-of-interest as counsel to the task force....Leon should not be involved in writing the rules,' said Monroe Freedman, a legal ethics professor at Hofstra University. It is a classic conflict of interest, and reasonable people can question his impartiality.'" ("Counsel Conflict." Roll Call, March 10, 1997)

"In another indication of what ethics reform might really mean, the House task force has hired Richard Leon, lobbyist Eppard's attorney, as its counsel. Just who will Leon be representing on the task force -- the American public or Ann Eppard?" ("House Ethics Reform A Secretive Ruse." Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, June 3, 1997.)

The Task Force Report Could Be Used To Dismiss 'Serious' Complaints Against Shuster and DeLay

"...serious ethics complaints against two powerful Republicans -- Tom DeLay, the majority whip, and Bud Shuster, the Transportation Committee chairman -- have been left festering..." ("The House Ethics Moratorium." New York Times, June 8, 1997.)

"What is particularly disturbing about the charges against both Shuster and DeLay is that they involve the most pernicious form of political corruption. These are not your run-of-the-mill tax evasion or petty theft cases. Instead the two men are accused of the kind of quid pro quo that most fundamentally threatens our democracy: the exchange of money and friendship for legislative influence." ("Breaking the Rules." Washington Monthly, June 1997.)

If the House approves the Task Force report, then the pending ethics complaints against Majority Whip DeLay and Chairman Shuster could be dismissed without investigation, because they would no longer meet the new standard for complaints. Both complaints are based almost entirely on news accounts from respected news outlets such as Roll Call, Journal of Commerce, Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal. Under the Task Force's proposed rules, it would likely be very difficult or impossible to refile these complaints.

The Task Force Report May Shield House Members from Scrutiny Regarding Corruption

The Task Force report suggests vesting too much authority in the Chair and Ranking Member of the Ethics Committee to dismiss complaints, without recourse for appeal. The Chair and Ranking Member could easily abuse this authority to dismiss complaints against Members -- especially powerful ones -- even when the Ethics Committee has strong evidence of wrongdoing.

"Common Cause legislative director Meredith McGehee said the [Task Force] proposal is just going in the absolute wrong direction....This group is going to have to be careful because they are quickly going from what was supposed to be reform to de-form in what was already a tainted process.'" ("Congressional Watchdog Groups Up In Arms Over Ethics Reform Proposal." Roll Call, May 29, 1997.)

Congressional Reform Briefings are prepared by the Congressional Accountability Project, which is a congressional reform group affiliated with Ralph Nader. For more information about the House Ethics Reform Task Force, or other congressional reform issues, send e-mail to <gary@essential.org>, call (202) 296-2787, or visit the Congressional Accountability Project's web site at <http://www.essential.org/orgs/CAP/CAP.html>.

Gary Ruskin
Congressional Accountability Project | Internet: gary@essential.org
1611 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 3A
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 296-2787 Fax: (202) 833-2406

Roll Call Vote 413 reproduced courtesy of:

David H. Miller
Congressional Observer Publications
1750 Sulphur Springs Road
Corvallis, OR 97330
Phone: 541-745-7110
Email Address: cop@proaxis.com
Web Address: http://www.proaxis.com/~cop

House Ethics Reform Task Force: Passage of H. Res. 168 Roll Call No. 413: September 18, 1997

House Ethics Reform Task Force: By a recorded vote of 258 ayes to 154 noes with 1 voting ``present'', Roll No. 413, the House agreed to H. Res. 168, to implement the recommendations of the bipartisan House Ethics Reform Task Force.

Pages H7544-73

AYES--258

Aderholt Republican Alabama Dist. 04 Y

Andrews Democrat New Jersey Dist. 01 Y

Archer Republican Texas Dist. 07 Y

Armey Republican Texas Dist. 26 Y

Bachus Republican Alabama Dist. 06 Y

Baesler Democrat Kentucky Dist. 06 Y

Ballenger Republican North Carolina Dist. 10 Y

Barcia Democrat Michigan Dist. 05 Y

Barr Republican Georgia Dist. 07 Y

Barrett (NE) Republican Nebraska Dist. 03 Y

Bartlett Republican Maryland Dist. 06 Y

Barton Republican Texas Dist. 06 Y

Bass Republican New Hampshire Dist. 02 Y

Bateman Republican Virginia Dist. 01 Y

Bereuter Republican Nebraska Dist. 01 Y

Berry Democrat Arkansas Dist. 01 Y

Bilbray Republican California Dist. 49 Y

Bilirakis Republican Florida Dist. 09 Y

Bishop Democrat Georgia Dist. 02 Y

Bliley Republican Virginia Dist. 07 Y

Blunt Republican Missouri Dist. 07 Y

Boehlert Republican New York Dist. 23 Y

Boehner Republican Ohio Dist. 08 Y

Bono Republican California Dist. 44 Y

Borski Democrat Pennsylvania Dist. 03 Y

Boucher Democrat Virginia Dist. 09 Y

Brady Republican Texas Dist. 08 Y

Brown (CA) Democrat California Dist. 42 Y

Bryant (TN) Republican Tennessee Dist. 07 Y

Bunning Republican Kentucky Dist. 04 Y

Burr Republican North Carolina Dist. 05 Y

Burton Republican Indiana Dist. 06 Y

Callahan Republican Alabama Dist. 01 Y

Calvert Republican California Dist. 43 Y

Camp Republican Michigan Dist. 04 Y

Campbell Republican California Dist. 15 Y

Canady Republican Florida Dist. 12 Y

Cannon Republican Utah Dist. 03 Y

Castle Republican Delaware Dist. 01 Y

Chabot Republican Ohio Dist. 01 Y

Chambliss Republican Georgia Dist. 08 Y

Chenoweth Republican Idaho Dist. 01 Y

Christensen Republican Nebraska Dist. 02 Y

Clement Democrat Tennessee Dist. 05 Y

Coble Republican North Carolina Dist. 06 Y

Coburn Republican Oklahoma Dist. 02 Y

Collins Republican Georgia Dist. 03 Y

Combest Republican Texas Dist. 19 Y

Condit Democrat California Dist. 18 Y

Cook Republican Utah Dist. 02 Y

Cooksey Republican Louisiana Dist. 05 Y

Cox Republican California Dist. 47 Y

Cramer Democrat Alabama Dist. 05 Y

Crane Republican Illinois Dist. 08 Y

Crapo Republican Idaho Dist. 02 Y

Cubin Republican Wyoming Dist. 01 Y

Cunningham Republican California Dist. 51 Y

Danner Democrat Missouri Dist. 06 Y

Davis (VA) Republican Virginia Dist. 11 Y

Deal Republican Georgia Dist. 09 Y

Delahunt Democrat Massachusetts Dist. 10 Y

DeLay Republican Texas Dist. 22 Y

Diaz-Balart Republican Florida Dist. 21 Y

Dickey Republican Arkansas Dist. 04 Y

Dicks Democrat Washington Dist. 06 Y

Dingell Democrat Michigan Dist. 16 Y

Doolittle Republican California Dist. 04 Y

Doyle Democrat Pennsylvania Dist. 18 Y

Dreier Republican California Dist. 28 Y

Duncan Republican Tennessee Dist. 02 Y

Dunn Republican Washington Dist. 08 Y

Ehlers Republican Michigan Dist. 03 Y

Ehrlich Republican Maryland Dist. 02 Y

Emerson Republican Missouri Dist. 08 Y

English Republican Pennsylvania Dist. 21 Y

Ensign Republican Nevada Dist. 01 Y

Everett Republican Alabama Dist. 02 Y

Ewing Republican Illinois Dist. 15 Y

Fawell Republican Illinois Dist. 13 Y

Foley Republican Florida Dist. 16 Y

Forbes Republican New York Dist. 01 Y

Fowler Republican Florida Dist. 04 Y

Fox Republican Pennsylvania Dist. 13 Y

Frelinghuysen Republican New Jersey Dist. 11 Y

Frost Democrat Texas Dist. 24 Y

Gallegly Republican California Dist. 23 Y

Ganske Republican Iowa Dist. 04 Y

Gekas Republican Pennsylvania Dist. 17 Y

Gibbons Republican Nevada Dist. 02 Y

Gilchrest Republican Maryland Dist. 01 Y

Gillmor Republican Ohio Dist. 05 Y

Gilman Republican New York Dist. 20 Y

Goodlatte Republican Virginia Dist. 06 Y

Goodling Republican Pennsylvania Dist. 19 Y

Graham Republican South Carolina Dist. 03 Y

Granger Republican Texas Dist. 12 Y

Greenwood Republican Pennsylvania Dist. 08 Y

Gutknecht Republican Minnesota Dist. 01 Y

Hall (OH) Democrat Ohio Dist. 03 Y

Hall (TX) Democrat Texas Dist. 04 Y

Hansen Republican Utah Dist. 01 Y

Harman Democrat California Dist. 36 Y

Hastings (WA) Republican Washington Dist. 04 Y

Hayworth Republican Arizona Dist. 06 Y

Hefley Republican Colorado Dist. 05 Y

Herger Republican California Dist. 02 Y

Hill Republican Montana Dist. 01 Y

Hilleary Republican Tennessee Dist. 04 Y

Hobson Republican Ohio Dist. 07 Y

Hoekstra Republican Michigan Dist. 02 Y

Holden Democrat Pennsylvania Dist. 06 Y

Horn Republican California Dist. 38 Y

Hostettler Republican Indiana Dist. 08 Y

Houghton Republican New York Dist. 31 Y

Hulshof Republican Missouri Dist. 09 Y

Hunter Republican California Dist. 52 Y

Hutchinson Republican Arkansas Dist. 03 Y

Hyde Republican Illinois Dist. 06 Y

Inglis Republican South Carolina Dist. 04 Y

Istook Republican Oklahoma Dist. 05 Y

Jenkins Republican Tennessee Dist. 01 Y

John Democrat Louisiana Dist. 07 Y

Johnson (CT) Republican Connecticut Dist. 06 Y

Johnson (WI) Democrat Wisconsin Dist. 08 Y

Johnson Sam Republican Texas Dist. 03 Y

Jones Republican North Carolina Dist. 03 Y

Kanjorski Democrat Pennsylvania Dist. 11 Y

Kasich Republican Ohio Dist. 12 Y

Kelly Republican New York Dist. 19 Y

King (NY) Republican New York Dist. 03 Y

Kingston Republican Georgia Dist. 01 Y

Kleczka Democrat Wisconsin Dist. 04 Y

Klink Democrat Pennsylvania Dist. 04 Y

Klug Republican Wisconsin Dist. 02 Y

Knollenberg Republican Michigan Dist. 11 Y

Kolbe Republican Arizona Dist. 05 Y

LaFalce Democrat New York Dist. 29 Y

LaHood Republican Illinois Dist. 18 Y

Largent Republican Oklahoma Dist. 01 Y

Latham Republican Iowa Dist. 05 Y

LaTourette Republican Ohio Dist. 19 Y

Lazio Republican New York Dist. 02 Y

Leach Republican Iowa Dist. 01 Y

Lewis (CA) Republican California Dist. 40 Y

Lewis (KY) Republican Kentucky Dist. 02 Y

Linder Republican Georgia Dist. 11 Y

Livingston Republican Louisiana Dist. 01 Y

LoBiondo Republican New Jersey Dist. 02 Y

Lucas Republican Oklahoma Dist. 06 Y

Manzullo Republican Illinois Dist. 16 Y

Mascara Democrat Pennsylvania Dist. 20 Y

McCarthy (MO) Democrat Missouri Dist. 05 Y

McCollum Republican Florida Dist. 08 Y

McCrery Republican Louisiana Dist. 04 Y

McDade Republican Pennsylvania Dist. 10 Y

McHugh Republican New York Dist. 24 Y

McInnis Republican Colorado Dist. 03 Y

McIntosh Republican Indiana Dist. 02 Y

McKeon Republican California Dist. 25 Y

Metcalf Republican Washington Dist. 02 Y

Mica Republican Florida Dist. 07 Y

Miller (FL) Republican Florida Dist. 13 Y

Minge Democrat Minnesota Dist. 02 Y

Mink Democrat Hawaii Dist. 02 Y

Mollohan Democrat West Virginia Dist. 01 Y

Moran (KS) Republican Kansas Dist. 01 Y

Morella Republican Maryland Dist. 08 Y

Murtha Democrat Pennsylvania Dist. 12 Y

Myrick Republican North Carolina Dist. 09 Y

Nethercutt Republican Washington Dist. 05 Y

Ney Republican Ohio Dist. 18 Y

Northup Republican Kentucky Dist. 03 Y

Norwood Republican Georgia Dist. 10 Y

Nussle Republican Iowa Dist. 02 Y

Ortiz Democrat Texas Dist. 27 Y

Oxley Republican Ohio Dist. 04 Y

Packard Republican California Dist. 48 Y

Pappas Republican New Jersey Dist. 12 Y

Parker Republican Mississippi Dist. 04 Y

Pascrell Democrat New Jersey Dist. 08 Y

Pastor Democrat Arizona Dist. 02 Y

Paul Republican Texas Dist. 14 Y

Paxon Republican New York Dist. 27 Y

Pease Republican Indiana Dist. 07 Y

Peterson (MN) Democrat Minnesota Dist. 07 Y

Peterson (PA) Republican Pennsylvania Dist. 05 Y

Petri Republican Wisconsin Dist. 06 Y

Pickering Republican Mississippi Dist. 03 Y

Pitts Republican Pennsylvania Dist. 16 Y

Pombo Republican California Dist. 11 Y

Portman Republican Ohio Dist. 02 Y

Pryce (OH) Republican Ohio Dist. 15 Y

Quinn Republican New York Dist. 30 Y

Radanovich Republican California Dist. 19 Y

Rahall Democrat West Virginia Dist. 03 Y

Ramstad Republican Minnesota Dist. 03 Y

Redmond Republican New Mexico Dist. 03 Y

Regula Republican Ohio Dist. 16 Y

Reyes Democrat Texas Dist. 16 Y

Riggs Republican California Dist. 01 Y

Riley Republican Alabama Dist. 03 Y

Rodriguez Democrat Texas Dist. 28 Y

Roemer Democrat Indiana Dist. 03 Y

Rogan Republican California Dist. 27 Y

Rogers Republican Kentucky Dist. 05 Y

Rohrabacher Republican California Dist. 45 Y

Ros-Lehtinen Republican Florida Dist. 18 Y

Roukema Republican New Jersey Dist. 05 Y

Royce Republican California Dist. 39 Y

Ryun Republican Kansas Dist. 02 Y

Salmon Republican Arizona Dist. 01 Y

Sanford Republican South Carolina Dist. 01 Y

Saxton Republican New Jersey Dist. 03 Y

Scarborough Republican Florida Dist. 01 Y

Schaefer Dan Republican Colorado Dist. 06 Y

Sensenbrenner Republican Wisconsin Dist. 09 Y

Sessions Republican Texas Dist. 05 Y

Shadegg Republican Arizona Dist. 04 Y

Shaw Republican Florida Dist. 22 Y

Shimkus Republican Illinois Dist. 20 Y

Shuster Republican Pennsylvania Dist. 09 Y

Sisisky Democrat Virginia Dist. 04 Y

Skeen Republican New Mexico Dist. 02 Y

Skelton Democrat Missouri Dist. 04 Y

Smith (MI) Republican Michigan Dist. 07 Y

Smith (NJ) Republican New Jersey Dist. 04 Y

Smith (OR) Republican Oregon Dist. 02 Y

Smith (TX) Republican Texas Dist. 21 Y

Smith Linda Republican Washington Dist. 03 Y

Snowbarger Republican Kansas Dist. 03 Y

Solomon Republican New York Dist. 22 Y

Souder Republican Indiana Dist. 04 Y

Spence Republican South Carolina Dist. 02 Y

Stearns Republican Florida Dist. 06 Y

Stenholm Democrat Texas Dist. 17 Y

Stump Republican Arizona Dist. 03 Y

Stupak Democrat Michigan Dist. 01 Y

Sununu Republican New Hampshire Dist. 01 Y

Talent Republican Missouri Dist. 02 Y

Tanner Democrat Tennessee Dist. 08 Y

Tauzin Republican Louisiana Dist. 03 Y

Taylor (MS) Democrat Mississippi Dist. 05 Y

Taylor (NC) Republican North Carolina Dist. 11 Y

Thornberry Republican Texas Dist. 13 Y

Thune Republican South Dakota Dist. 01 Y

Tiahrt Republican Kansas Dist. 04 Y

Traficant Democrat Ohio Dist. 17 Y

Upton Republican Michigan Dist. 06 Y

Walsh Republican New York Dist. 25 Y

Wamp Republican Tennessee Dist. 03 Y

Watkins Republican Olkahoma Dist. 03 Y

Watts (OK) Republican Oklahoma Dist. 04 Y

Weldon (FL) Republican Florida Dist. 15 Y

Weller Republican Illinois Dist. 11 Y

White Republican Washington Dist. 01 Y

Wicker Republican Mississippi Dist. 01 Y

Wolf Republican Virginia Dist. 10 Y

Young (FL) Republican Florida Dist. 10 Y

NOES--154

Ackerman Democrat New York Dist. 05 N

Allen Democrat Maine Dist. 01 N

Baldacci Democrat Maine Dist. 02 N

Barrett (WI) Democrat Wisconsin Dist. 05 N

Becerra Democrat California Dist. 30 N

Bentsen Democrat Texas Dist. 25 N

Berman Democrat California Dist. 26 N

Blagojevich Democrat Illinois Dist. 05 N

Blumenauer Democrat Oregon Dist. 03 N

Bonior Democrat Michigan Dist. 10 N

Boswell Democrat Iowa Dist. 03 N

Boyd Democrat Florida Dist. 02 N

Brown (FL) Democrat Florida Dist. 03 N

Brown (OH) Democrat Ohio Dist. 13 N

Buyer Republican Indiana Dist. 05 N

Capps Democrat California Dist. 22 N

Cardin Democrat Maryland Dist. 03 N

Carson Democrat Indiana Dist. 10 N

Clayton Democrat North Carolina Dist. 01 N

Clyburn Democrat South Carolina Dist. 06 N

Conyers Democrat Michigan Dist. 14 N

Costello Democrat Illinois Dist. 12 N

Coyne Democrat Pennsylvania Dist. 14 N

Cummings Democrat Maryland Dist. 07 N

Davis (FL) Democrat Florida Dist. 11 N

Davis (IL) Democrat Illinois Dist. 07 N

DeFazio Democrat Oregon Dist. 04 N

Degette Democrat Colorado Dist. 01 N

DeLauro Democrat Connecticut Dist. 03 N

Dellums Democrat California Dist. 09 N

Deutsch Democrat Florida Dist. 20 N

Dixon Democrat California Dist. 32 N

Doggett Democrat Texas Dist. 10 N

Dooley Democrat California Dist. 20 N

Edwards Democrat Texas Dist. 11 N

Engel Democrat New York Dist. 17 N

Eshoo Democrat California Dist. 14 N

Etheridge Democrat North Carolina Dist. 02 N

Evans Democrat Illinois Dist. 17 N

Farr Democrat California Dist. 17 N

Fattah Democrat Pennsylvania Dist. 02 N

Fazio Democrat California Dist. 03 N

Filner Democrat California Dist. 50 N

Flake Democrat New York Dist. 06 N

Ford Democrat Tennessee Dist. 09 N

Frank (MA) Democrat Massachusetts Dist. 04 N

Franks (NJ) Republican New Jersey Dist. 07 N

Gejdenson Democrat Connecticut Dist. 02 N

Goode Democrat Virginia Dist. 05 N

Gordon Democrat Tennessee Dist. 06 N

Green (TX) Democrat Texas Dist. 29 N

Gutierrez Democrat Illinois Dist. 04 N

Hamilton Democrat Indiana Dist. 09 N

Hefner Democrat North Carolina Dist. 08 N

Hilliard Democrat Alabama Dist. 07 N

Hinchey Democrat New York Dist. 26 N

Hinojosa Democrat Texas Dist. 15 N

Hooley Democrat Oregon Dist. 05 N

Hoyer Democrat Maryland Dist. 05 N

Jackson (IL) Democrat Illinois Dist. 02 N

Jackson-Lee (TX) Democrat Texas Dist. 18 N

Jefferson Democrat Louisiana Dist. 02 N

Johnson E. B. Democrat Texas Dist. 30 N

Kaptur Democrat Ohio Dist. 09 N

Kennedy (MA) Democrat Massachusetts Dist. 08 N

Kennedy (RI) Democrat Rhode Island Dist. 01 N

Kennelly Democrat Connecticut Dist. 01 N

Kildee Democrat Michigan Dist. 09 N

Kilpatrick Democrat Michigan Dist. 15 N

Kind (WI) Democrat Wisconsin Dist. 03 N

Kucinich Democrat Ohio Dist. 10 N

Lampson Democrat Texas Dist. 09 N

Lantos Democrat California Dist. 12 N

Levin Democrat Michigan Dist. 12 N

Lewis (GA) Democrat Georgia Dist. 05 N

Lofgren Democrat California Dist. 16 N

Lowey Democrat New York Dist. 18 N

Luther Democrat Minnesota Dist. 06 N

Maloney (CT) Democrat Connecticut Dist. 05 N

Maloney (NY) Democrat New York Dist. 14 N

Manton Democrat New York Dist. 07 N

Markey Democrat Massachusetts Dist. 07 N

Martinez Democrat California Dist. 31 N

Matsui Democrat California Dist. 05 N

McCarthy (NY) Democrat New York Dist. 04 N

McDermott Democrat Washington Dist. 07 N

McGovern Democrat Massachusetts Dist. 03 N

McHale Democrat Pennsylvania Dist. 15 N

McIntyre Democrat North Carolina Dist. 07 N

McKinney Democrat Georgia Dist. 04 N

McNulty Democrat New York Dist. 21 N

Meehan Democrat Massachusetts Dist. 05 N

Menendez Democrat New Jersey Dist. 13 N

Millender-McDonald Democrat California Dist. 37 N

Miller (CA) Democrat California Dist. 07 N

Moakley Democrat Massachusetts Dist. 09 N

Moran (VA) Democrat Virginia Dist. 08 N

Nadler Democrat New York Dist. 08 N

Neal Democrat Massachusetts Dist. 02 N

Obey Democrat Wisconsin Dist. 07 N

Olver Democrat Massachusetts Dist. 01 N

Owens Democrat New York Dist. 11 N

Pallone Democrat New Jersey Dist. 06 N

Payne Democrat New Jersey Dist. 10 N

Pelosi Democrat California Dist. 08 N

Pickett Democrat Virginia Dist. 02 N

Pomeroy Democrat North Dakota Dist. 01 N

Poshard Democrat Illinois Dist. 19 N

Price (NC) Democrat North Carolina Dist. 04 N

Rangel Democrat New York Dist. 15 N

Rivers Democrat Michigan Dist. 13 N

Rothman Democrat New Jersey Dist. 09 N

Roybal-Allard Democrat California Dist. 33 N

Rush Democrat Illinois Dist. 01 N

Sabo Democrat Minnesota Dist. 05 N

Sanchez Democrat California Dist. 46 N

Sanders Independent Vermont Dist. 01 N

Sandlin Democrat Texas Dist. 01 N

Sawyer Democrat Ohio Dist. 14 N

Schaffer Bob Republican Colorado Dist. 04 N

Schumer Democrat New York Dist. 09 N

Scott Democrat Virginia Dist. 03 N

Serrano Democrat New York Dist. 16 N

Shays Republican Connecticut Dist. 04 N

Sherman Democrat California Dist. 24 N

Skaggs Democrat Colorado Dist. 02 N

Slaughter Democrat New York Dist. 28 N

Snyder Democrat Arkansas Dist. 02 N

Spratt Democrat South Carolina Dist. 05 N

Stabenow Democrat Michigan Dist. 08 N

Stark Democrat California Dist. 13 N

Stokes Democrat Ohio Dist. 11 N

Strickland Democrat Ohio Dist. 06 N

Tauscher Democrat California Dist. 10 N

Thomas Republican California Dist. 21 N

Thompson Democrat Mississippi Dist. 02 N

Thurman Democrat Florida Dist. 05 N

Tierney Democrat Massachusetts Dist. 06 N

Torres Democrat California Dist. 34 N

Towns Democrat New York Dist. 10 N

Turner Democrat Texas Dist. 02 N

Velazquez Democrat New York Dist. 12 N

Vento Democrat Minnesota Dist. 04 N

Visclosky Democrat Indiana Dist. 01 N

Waters Democrat California Dist. 35 N

Watt (NC) Democrat North Carolina Dist. 12 N

Waxman Democrat California Dist. 29 N

Wexler Democrat Florida Dist. 19 N

Weygand Democrat Rhode Island Dist. 02 N

Whitfield Republican Kentucky Dist. 01 N

Wise Democrat West Virginia Dist. 02 N

Woolsey Democrat California Dist. 06 N

Wynn Democrat Maryland Dist. 04 N

Yates Democrat Illinois Dist. 09 N

ANSWERED ``PRESENT''--1

Kim Republican California Dist. 41 P

NOT VOTING--20

Abercrombie Democrat Hawaii Dist. 01 X

Baker Republican Louisiana Dist. 06 X

Bonilla Republican Texas Dist. 23 X

Clay Democrat Missouri Dist. 01 X

Foglietta Democrat Pennsylvania Dist. 01 X

Furse Democrat Oregon Dist. 01 X

Gephardt Democrat Missouri Dist. 03 X

Gonzalez Democrat Texas Dist. 20 X

Goss Republican Florida Dist. 14 X

Hastert Republican Illinois Dist. 14 X

Hastings (FL) Democrat Florida Dist. 23 X

Lipinski Democrat Illinois Dist. 03 X

Meek Democrat Florida Dist. 17 X

Neumann Republican Wisconsin Dist. 01 X

Oberstar Democrat Minnesota Dist. 08 X

Porter Republican Illinois Dist. 10 X

Schiff Republican New Mexico Dist. 01 X

Smith Adam Democrat Washington Dist. 09 X

Weldon (PA) Republican Pennsylvania Dist. 07 X

Young (AK) Republican Alaska Dist. 01 X

Roll No. 413: September 18, 1997
House Ethics Reform Task Force: Passage of H. Res. 168

Republican Yes votes = 210
Republican No votes = 6
Republican NV votes = 9
Republican Position = Y

Democratic Yes votes = 48
Democratic No votes = 147
Democratic NV votes = 11
Democratic Position = N

Independent Yes votes = 0
Independent No votes = 1
Independent NV votes = 0

Total Yes votes = 258
Total No votes = 154
Total Answer. Present = 1

Total Not Voting = 20

{Note: By tradition, the Speaker rarely votes.}