The House : House Members’ Ethics

The House defeated, 297 to 77, an amendment calling for a special commission to probe House ethics. Without naming lawmakers, the measure stated “the ongoing pattern of questionable ethical conduct within the House is deplorable.� It was offered to the fiscal 1988 legislative branch appropriations bill (HR 2714), which was sent to the Senate.

Sponsor Robert S. Walker (R-Pa.) said, “We have had understatement of income on financial disclosure statements, use of campaign funds for personal use, charges of bribery, improper use of the congressional payroll (and) voting card (and) hiring of ghost employes. . . .�

Opponent John D. Dingell (D-Mich.) said the House is “an honorable body of honorable men. Its behavior is the most public and publicly scrutinized of any group in our society.�

Members voting yes wanted a special probe of House members’ ethics.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Beilenson (D) x Rep. Berman (D) x Rep. Gallegly (R) x Rep. Moorhead (R) x Rep. Waxman (D) x

Legal Services Corp.

By a 282-187 vote, the House rejected an amendment to kill the Legal Services Corp. by deleting its $306-million budget from a fiscal 1988 appropriations bill (HR 2763) that later was sent to the Senate.

The agency provides free or subsidized legal aid to the poor at about 1,000 offices nationwide. The Reagan Administration wants to eliminate it.

Amendment sponsor Norman D. Shumway (R-Stockton), said taxpayers should not be required to “finance lobbyists who seek to further their personal, social or political agenda.�

Opponent Bruce A. Morrison (D-Conn.) said the agency embodies “the principle of equal justice under law.�

Members voting yes wanted to kill the Legal Services Corp.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Beilenson (D) x Rep. Berman (D) x Rep. Gallegly (R) x Rep. Moorhead (R) x Rep. Waxman (D) x

Aid to Homeless

By a 301-115 vote, the House joined the Senate in approving the conference report on legislation authorizing nearly $1.1 billion for a mixture of old and new programs to provide shelter, food, medical care and other aid to the homeless in fiscal 1987-88.

This sent the measure (HR 558) to President Reagan.

Estimating there are up to 3 million homeless Americans, supporter George C. Wortley (R-N.Y.) said, “A lack of shelter whatsoever strikes at the core of human dignity.�

Opponent Thomas DeLay (R-Tex.) said the legislation creates “a brand new welfare program . . . that we cannot pay for, that we are going to borrow to pay for.�

Members voting yes supported the legislation.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Beilenson (D) x Rep. Berman (D) x Rep. Gallegly (R) x Rep. Moorhead (R) x Rep. Waxman (D) x