Madam Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry. Yesterday I asked a parliamentary inquiry regarding the effect of a letter from Mr. Rangel to the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, regarding his…
Madam Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry.
Yesterday I asked a parliamentary inquiry regarding the effect of a letter from Mr. Rangel to the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, regarding his resignation as chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, to wit, the Speaker pro tempore of the House answered that the gentleman from California, Representative Pete Stark, became acting chair of the Committee on Ways and Means immediately by operation of House rule X clause 5.
This morning the acting chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, Mr. Stark, submitted a letter to the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, that states, ``I hereby resign as acting chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means.'' That letter to the Speaker was read into today's proceedings. At that time the Speaker pro tempore in accepting the letter stated, ``The resignation is accepted.''
I have a parliamentary inquiry regarding the nature of that resignation. Under this morning's procedure, is Mr. Stark the current chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means?
Further parliamentary inquiry.
Under House rules and House Resolution 24, is the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) still a member of the Committee on Ways and Means?
Under House rules, what is the current rank order of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) on the Committee on Ways and Means?
Further parliamentary inquiry. What is his placement in that ranking that I just described?
It is my understanding that Mr. Rangel stands as number one by the nature of that resolution. Could I get a clarification on that by the Chair.
Further parliamentary inquiry. Under House rule X, clause 5(c) which states, ``In the absence of the member serving as chair, the member next in rank (and so on, as often as the case shall happen) shall act as chair,'' under House Resolution 24, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin) ranks next after Mr. Stark on the resolution electing members of the committee. Under that resolution and by operation of House rule X, clause 5(c), is Mr. Levin currently the acting chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means?
Further parliamentary inquiry. Under House Resolution 8, Mr. Rangel was elected chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means. Under House rule X, clause 5, the Chair has indicated that Mr. Levin is acting chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means. Does that mean that the House needs to adopt a resolution to make Mr. Levin chairman in fact and not just acting chairman?
So the answer is yes? We do need a vote or we do not need a vote?
Further parliamentary inquiry. I believe X(5)(c) says that the next one in order shall act as the acting chair. If Mr. Rangel by at least the
declaration of someone on this House floor is number one, wouldn't he be the chair again under these circumstances?
I'm sorry? I didn't understand you. Would you mind repeating that.
If I may further inquire, so the words ``and so on'' means that you don't go back to the original order, you just go to whoever was behind him at the time the first vacation took place of the chair?
A cascading fashion?
I thank you for that clarification.
