mr. speaker , i thank the gentlewoman for yielding me time .  the gentlewoman is correct : i currently serve on the committee on standards of official conduct .  and despite what i read in the morning papers , the republican leadership is eliminating a major traditional ethics standard of the house .  while we are relieved that the republican leadership did not go as far as they wanted to , i do not think we can be happy with the trend that is clearly downwards as it is today .  the new rule means no ethics violations will be investigated of party leaders , whether they be republican or democratic , control their members , since a tie vote means a dismissal .  the logical result is more partisan political pressure on the committee members .  america was intended to be a city on a hill with the highest standards for the government in the world ; and sadly , today we are lowering those standards .  the majority is proud of their political power and their skills at political games , and politics is an important part of our business ; but principles must be held above politics because no man can serve two masters , both principles and politics .  when we are guided by only political consideration in the house leadership today , the house abandons its principles and the moral compass .  i do not enjoy serving on the committee .  i do know something about legislative ethics , having first been elected to the state house of representatives after a tremendous sharpstown bank scandal in texas 1972 .  born and raised in texas , i understand what it means about conservative government , but i can not begin to explain how eliminating a traditional ethics standard is conservative in the slightest .  the house leadership can fool some of the people some of the time , like they did today when the papers said they were dropping ethics changes , when they clearly continue to weaken the standards .  however , the people recognize this for what it is , a weakening of our government 's ethics in pursuit of political parity by one party , be it democrat or republican .  