Insisting Department of Justice Comply with Requests and Subpoenas

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from North Carolina for yielding time to me.

You know, an old Arizona farmer told me that when you put up a fence, the cow almost always goes over and leans on the fence to see how strong that fence is, because the cow wants to get to the other side. If the fence is strong, then it moves away, and you don't have that problem. But if your fence is a little bit loose in the wiring, it is going to go over, and that cow is going to get on out. And that is what has happened here.

What has happened here is we have had a loose fence. We have failed to demand the requirements be met as we have requested. It is not bullying. It is not bullying to request documents. It is not bullying to subpoena and use the right that we have to subpoena. That is not bullying anybody.

But I will tell you what the problem is--this resolution gets at the heart of it. It says that we are going to give you an extra 2 weeks. That is rebuilding the fence a little bit. That is rebuilding that fence a little bit and saying: We have oversight authority. You need to comply with that oversight authority.

So we are going to rebuild the fence. And I fully support this resolution, Mr. Speaker. But I will tell you what, I would enthusiastically support a resolution for contempt, because there has not been compliance, nor has there been adequate reason given for noncompliance.

So, I support this resolution 100 percent. I am going to be voting for it. I have cosponsored it. But I will tell you what, we need to be holding a resolution of contempt, because this body and its authority have been held in contempt.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source