SENATE RESOLUTION 467--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD, CONSISTENT WITH ITS CONSTITUTIONAL OBLIGATIONS, IMMEDIATELY TRANSMIT THE 2 ARTICLES OF...; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 5
(Senate - January 09, 2020)
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[Pages S128-S129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENATE RESOLUTION 467--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD, CONSISTENT WITH ITS CONSTITUTIONAL
OBLIGATIONS, IMMEDIATELY TRANSMIT THE 2 ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST
PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP PASSED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON
DECEMBER 18, 2019, UNDER HOUSE RESOLUTION 755
Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Grassley, Mrs. Blackburn,
Mrs. Capito, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Perdue, Mr. Portman, Mr.
Shelby, Mr. Braun, Mrs. Loeffler, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mrs. Hyde-
Smith, Mr. Daines, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Cruz, Ms. Ernst, Mr.
Tillis, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Mrs.
Fischer, Mr. Sasse, and Mr. Hoeven) submitted the following resolution;
which was referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.:
S. Res. 467
Whereas, pursuant to article I, section 2 of the
Constitution of the United States, the House of
Representatives ``shall have the sole Power of Impeachment'';
Whereas, pursuant to article I, section 3 of the
Constitution of the United States, the Senate ``shall have
the sole Power to try all Impeachments'';
Whereas, on December 18, 2019, the House of Representatives
passed 2 articles of impeachment against President Donald J.
Trump;
[[Page S129]]
Whereas, since passage, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives has refused to transmit the articles to the
Senate, unless the Senate agrees to allow the Speaker of the
House of Representatives to dictate the rules of a trial;
Whereas, the Constitution of the United States does not
provide the Speaker of the House of Representatives with the
power to effectively veto a resolution passed by a duly
elected majority of the House of Representatives by refusing
to transmit such a resolution to the Senate;
Whereas, the refusal by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives to transmit the articles is a flagrant
violation of the separation of powers expressly outlined in
the bicameral impeachment process under the Constitution of
the United States;
Whereas, this inaction by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives is a gross infringement on the constitutional
authority of the Senate to try impeachments;
Whereas, the refusal by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives to transmit the articles is unprecedented for
presidential impeachments;
Whereas, refusing to transmit the articles is resulting in
the denial of President Trump's day in court; and
Whereas, if allowed to stand, this inaction by the Speaker
of the House of Representatives would set a dangerous
precedent for the constitutional system of Government in the
United States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate calls on the Speaker of the House
of Representatives to immediately appoint impeachment
managers and transmit the articles of impeachment to the
Senate for disposition consistent with the Constitution of
the United States.
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