CLEAN GOVERNMENT -- (House of Representatives - April 29, 2009)
(Mr. HIMES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)
Mr. HIMES. Good morning, Madam Speaker.
I rise this morning to address the importance of clean government and to urge my colleagues to support a number of measures that will come before this House to help assure that clean government.
Citizens deserve and expect to know that their elected representatives are acting purely in their best interests and they, particularly in this moment of crisis, should know that we act exclusively without conflicts of interest.
I am proud to cosponsor legislation that would prohibit Representatives in this House from taking campaign contributions from those for whom they have made appropriations requests. And I am proud to cosponsor a bill introduced by my good friend and fellow Connecticut Representative John Larson. The gentleman's bill will make huge strides in removing the money that so sullies our politics. The American people deserve no less, and I urge my colleagues to support these bills as they approach the floor of this House.