Pence Opening Statement at Select Committee Hearing Today

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence made the following opening statement at the first hearing of the Select Committee to Investigate the Voting Irregularities of August 2, 2007.

“At this first formal meeting of the Select Committee to Investigate the Voting Irregularities of August 2, 2007, and am humbled to serve as the Ranking Member and I will seek to confirm the confidence placed in me by approaching this task with a firm commitment to fairness and the facts.

“I am especially grateful to serve with Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-OH) and Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R-MO), whose years of experience and reputations for integrity will greatly enhance our investigation. And based on the caliber of the members appointed by the Democrat majority, and our preliminary discussions to date, I am confident we will be able to proceed with this inquiry in a bipartisan manner that puts the interests of the American people over partisan politics.

 “The Constitution of the United States enshrines the right of every member of the House of Representatives to vote on the floor of the Congress on behalf of the people they were elected to serve.

“This Select Committee has been charged with a solemn duty to investigate voting irregularities of August 2, 2007. The integrity of the House of Representatives is completely dependent on the integrity of the vote that takes place on the floor of the Congress. Every American is entitled to have a voice in the People’s House and to know that their representative’s vote counts.

“As the ancients knew, honesty in measurement is central to justice. Leviticus 19:36 admonished ‘do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity..use honest scales and honest weight.

“The events of August 2, 2007, where confusion and anger reigned on the House floor, represent a serious breakdown in the voting system of this institution when the integrity of the means of measurement were called into question.

“That night, the Republican minority voted to deny taxpayer-funded benefits to illegal immigrants in Roll Call Vote No. 814. According to the voting machine and the minority, the Republican motion to recommit prevailed. According to the man holding the gavel and the majority, the Democratic majority prevailed.        

“This conflict between parties, man and machine must be thoroughly investigated.  The Select Committee must follow the facts, and let the chips fall where they may. Whether they lead to findings of an abuse of authority to benefit illegal immigrants, glaring holes in the rules of the House, or other determinations, we will expose the truth of what happened and ensure that the voting franchise of every member of Congress is protected.

“And we will approach this task in a fair, thorough and solemn manner. For, as the scholar Norman Ornstein wrote, ‘the dynamic here between the parties is not just game playing; it is serious business. The House is fragile enough that we could end up with truly nasty and counterproductive behavior deeply damaging to the country and the long-term operation of Congress.’

"I look forward to working with my colleagues in both parties and appreciate the spirit of cooperation and comity that has characterized our discussions to date. Members of the minority commit to continue in this spirit to ensure that the Members, officers of the House or staff who were responsible for this incident be held to account and to develop recommendations to ensure that this never happens again.  We owe the American people and the People's House nothing less.”

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