Congress

House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today regarding President Bush's Inaugural Address:

House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today regarding the Inauguration of President George W. Bush on Thursday:

House Republicans opened a new session of Congress yesterday by pushing through a new rule curtailing the ways ethics investigations can be launched, a day after they retreated on two other ethics moves.

The House yesterday loosened its internal ethics guidelines by voting to make it more difficult for ethics probes to be launched against members of Congress.

A new rule, backed by GOP leaders, would require the vote of a fellow party member before a lawmaker could be investigated.

House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) today spoke on the House Floor in opposition to Republicans’ weakening of the House’s ethical standards. The following is Representative Hoyer’s statement as prepared for delivery:

GOP drive in nation's capital and Texas to shield DeLay shows contempt for ethics in government and the impartial rule of law.

House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (MD) announced today that he has appointed Representatives John Tanner (TN) and Diana DeGette (CO) as Chief Deputy Whips, which makes them part of the Democratic Leadership and of the senior team of Democratic whips.