Impeachment Hearings: House Judiciary Committee, July 30, 1974 (1/2)
Impeachment Hearings: House Judiciary Committee, July 30, 1974 (1/2)
[00.36.09] Mr. FLOWERS. I ask unanimous consent that the time for debate of the article be extended 1 hour. The CHAIRMAN. There is 1 hour and 20 minutes remaining. Mr. FLOWERS. I ask unanimous consent that -we can extend the time to a total of 2 hours, I hour to each side for debate of the article. Mr. WIGGINS. Reserving the right to object, Mr. Chairman? The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman will state his reservation. Mr. WIGGINS. Can I suggest to my friend from Alabama that we defer consideration of his unanimous consent request until -we see how -we are getting along. I have a feeling that as is the custom in the House, there be a great deal of yielding to members to develop their arguments more fully. But, if at the end of an hour it is clearly apparent that we have not had an adequate discussion, I certainly would not object to any unanimous consent request at that time. Mr. FLOWERS. I cannot argue with that. Mr. WIGGINS. Great. Mr. HOGAN. Reserving the right to object, the difficulty with that is that if the Chair parcels the time out on the basis of the fixed time limitation at this time, members will not have sufficient time to develop the arguments they want to make. Mr. FLOWERS. Mr. Chairman, I cannot argue with that either. The. CHAIRMAN. The Chair would like to announce that there are 23 members who have sought recognition, 10 members in opposition and 13 members in support, and probably we could compromise by stating that each of those members, if a- unanimous consent request is in order, and it would be in order, that each member be given 5 minutes? would that suit the gentleman? Mr. FLOWERS. It seems like the' other side has got the advantage there, Mr. Chairman. I would kind of like to restrict it down to--there's not as many of us as there are of them this time, and it's kind of lonesome, over here on this article. Mr. RAILSBACK. Mr. Chairman? Mr. Chairman? The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Railsback. Mr. RAILSBACK. I think once again the gentleman from Alabama has shown his good sense. Why don't we just divide the time equally. Mr. FLOWERS. I thank the gentleman for that comment very much. Mr. KASTENMEIER. Mr. Chairman? The CHAIRMAN. All one has to do is ask a unanimous consent request that that is in order and the Chair will put the unanimous consent request. Mr. McCLORY. Mr. Chairman, parliamentary inquiry. My parliamentary inquiry is this: If we are going to abandon our unanimous consent request which I made at the outset, and which was opposed. and cut down, it seems to me that we should revert to the rule -which -we adopted when we began these debates and proceed to provide each member with an opportunity to have 5 minutes to discuss it. Mr. RAILSBACK. Mr. Chairman, I have a unanimous consent request that each side be given 40 minutes. Mr. SEIBERLING. Mr. Chairman, reserving the right to object, I think that the suggestion of Mr. McCLORY. makes sense. We started out with the 5-minute rule. I don't know why we should suddenly switch to some other approach. And I just wonder whether there are any really serious objections to that. The CHAIRMAN. Well, the Chair would like to state that presently, however. the unanimous consent request was adopted without objection and at the present time the Chair finds itself in the -position that there is 1 hour and 20 minutes remaining, and that I hour and 20 minutes would be divided, as the chair stated, between the opponents and the proponents. Now, if that order is to be vacated, then a unanimous consent request to vacate that is in order and we then -will proceed. Mr. FLOWERS. Mr. Chairman? The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Flowers. Mr. FLOWERS. I would like to withdraw my unanimous consent request and reserving the right to object to my friend from Illinois' Unanimous consent request, the 1 hour and 20 minutes amounts to 80 minutes does it not? The CHAIRMAN. That is correct. Mr. FLOWERS, Would that not be 40 minutes per side? Mr. RAILSBACK. Would the. gentleman yield?, Mr. FLOWERS. I realize this is the Judiciary Committee and we do not deal in numbers very often, but---- Mr. RAILSBACK. Would the gentleman yield? Mr. FLOWERS. I certainly yield to my friend. Mr. RAILSBACK. I think I have decided, to withdraw my unanimous consent request. Mr. FROEHLICH. -Mr. Chairman? The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Froehlich, Mr. FROEHLICH. I ask unanimous consent that each individual on your list be given 4 minutes. The CHAIRMAN. Will the gentleman please restate that? Mr. FROEHLICH. I ask unanimous consent that each individual on your list be given 4 minutes. Mr. HOGAN. I object, Mr. Chairman. May I be heard on my objection, Mr. Chairman? The CHAIRMAN. If the gentleman has objected, there is no unanimous consent request, unless the gentleman reserves his right to object. Mr. HOGAN. I object, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. is heard. We are back to 1 hour and 20 Minutes. The Chair will recognize the gentleman in support of the article, 'I and there are 13 of them listed, and I recognize Mr. Hogan. Mr. HOGAN. For how long, Mr. Chairman? The CHAIRMAN. Three minutes. [00.41.29]