July 23, 2004

Statement of Chairman Joel Hefley and Ranking Minority Member Alan B. Mollohan

Committee Rule 16(b) provides us, in our capacities as Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, with a period of 45 days either to act or to make recommendations for action on the complaint that was filed last month against Representative Tom DeLay. The rule also authorizes the Committee to, upon our request, extend that period for up to an additional 45 days.

Yesterday we requested, and the Committee granted, such an extension. This extension will help ensure that we have sufficient time to obtain and consider information pertinent to the determination we are to make under Committee Rule 16(b). This action in no way reflects on the substance of the allegations made in the complaint.

As we noted in our statement of June 22, 2004, in accordance with Committee Rule 7 on confidentiality, there will be no public comment on this matter from the Committee or its members except in the form of a written statement issued either by us or the full Committee. Copies of the Committee Rules are available from the Committee office, and their text is available on the Committee Web site, www.house.gov/ethics.