[Deschler's Precedents, Volume 3, Chapters 10 - 14] [Chapter 11. Questions of Privilege] [C. Basis of Questions of Privilege of the House] [§ 15. Service of Grand Jury Subpena] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov] [Page 1625-1626] CHAPTER 11 Questions of Privilege C. BASIS OF QUESTIONS OF PRIVILEGE OF THE HOUSE Sec. 15. Service of Grand Jury Subpena Federal Grand Jury Subpena Sec. 15.1 The receipt by a Member of a subpena to appear before a federal grand jury gives rise to a question of the privilege of the House. On July 15, 1963,(1) the Chair recognized Mr. Edmond Edmondson, of Oklahoma, on a question of the privilege of the House: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. 109 Cong. Rec. 12488, 88th Cong. 1st Sess. For additional examples see 95 Cong. Rec. 5544, 5545, 81st Cong. 1st Sess., May 3, 1949; and 88 Cong. Rec. 1267, 77th Cong. 2d Sess., Feb. 16, 1942. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. Edmondson: Mr. Speaker, I rise to a question of the privilege of the House. The Speaker: (2) The gentleman will state it. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. John W. McCormack (Mass.). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. Edmondson: Mr. Speaker, I have received a summons to appear before the grand jury of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Tuesday, July 16, 1963, at 9 o'clock a.m., to testify in the case of the United States against Jessie Lee Bell. Under the precedents of the House, I am unable to comply with this summons without the consent of the House, the privileges of the House being involved. I, therefore, submit the matter for the consideration of this body. Mr. Speaker, I send to the desk the summons. The Speaker: The Clerk will report the summons. At the conclusion of the Clerk's report, a resolution (3~) offered by Mr. Carl Albert, of Oklahoma, authorizing the Member to appear in response to the summons, was agreed to. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. H. Res. 436. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- State Grand Jury Subpoena Sec. 15.2 A subpoena to a Member requiring his appearance before a state grand jury gives rise to a question of the privilege of the House. [[Page 1626]] On May 9, 1962,(4) Mr. Frank W. Boykin, of Alabama, rising to a question of the privilege of the House, informed the House that he had been subpoenaed to appear before the grand jury of the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland. The subpoena was sent to the desk whereupon, the Speaker (5) instructed the Clerk to read it to the House. At the conclusion of the Clerk's reading, the House agreed to a privileged resolution (6) offered by Mr. Carl Albert, of Oklahoma, authorizing the Member to appear in response to the subpoena. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. 108 Cong. Rec. 8006, 87th Cong. 2d Sess. For further illustrations see 108 Cong. Rec. 7945, 87th Cong. 2d Sess., May 8, 1962; 108 Cong. Rec. 7816, 7817, 87th Cong. 2d Sess., May 7, 1962; and 105 Cong. Rec. 1623, 86th Cong. 1st Sess., Feb. 2, 1959. 5. John W. McCormack (Mass.). 6. H. Res. 630. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------