Congressional Oversight of the United States Attorney General

Floor Speech

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, the Constitution is an enormously important document. The oversight of Congress is an enormously important responsibility. Lives lost in the course of various activities of our law enforcement are issues that we take with great concern.

As a member of the Judiciary Committee, it has been my responsibility over the years, from impeachments to Waco to issues beyond, to look deep into the facts, and I respect that. I'm appalled, however, when the chief law enforcement officer of the United States is called a liar. And I stand on this floor to reject any thought that a United States Attorney that takes an oath of office would lie.

We can find a resolution to the facts of Fast and Furious, started under the Bush administration, that have been reinvestigated and reinvestigated. But we do not have to malign Attorney General Holder for doing his job. And I would ask this Congress to ultimately reject any contempt charge against the chief law enforcement officer, and to denounce lying.

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