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Opinion of the Court
ing activity;' and (3) proscribing the operation of any enterprise engaged in interstate commerce through a 'pattern' of 'racketeering activity.' " H. R. Rep. No. 91- 1549, p. 35 (1970); S. Rep. No. 91-617, p. 34 (1969) (emphasis added).
In their comments on the floor, Members of Congress consistently referred to subsection (c) as prohibiting the operation of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and to subsections (a) and (b) as prohibiting the acquisition of an enterprise.7 Representative Cellar, who was chairman of the House Judiciary Committee that voted RICO out in 1970, described § 1962(c) as proscribing the "conduct of the affairs of a business by a person acting in a managerial capacity, through racketeering activity." 116 Cong. Rec. 35196 (1970) (emphasis added).
Of course, the fact that Members of Congress understood § 1962(c) to prohibit the operation or management of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity does not necessarily mean that they understood § 1962(c) to be limited to the operation or management of an enterprise. Cf. Turkette, 452 U. S., at 591 (references to the infiltration of legitimate organizations do not "requir[e] the negative inference that [RICO] did not reach the activities of enterprises organized and existing for criminal purposes"). It is clear from other remarks, however, that Congress did not intend RICO to extend beyond the acquisition or operation of an enter-7 See, e. g., 116 Cong. Rec. 607 (1970) (remarks of Sen. Byrd of West Virginia) ("to acquire an interest in businesses . . . , or to acquire or operate such businesses by racketeering methods"); id., at 36294 (remarks of Sen. McClellan) ("to acquire an interest in a business . . . , to use racketeering activities as a means of acquiring such a business, or to operate such a business by racketeering methods"); id., at 36296 (remarks of Sen. Dole) ("using the proceeds of racketeering activity to acquire an interest in businesses engaged in interstate commerce, or to acquire or operate such businesses by racketeering methods"); id., at 35227 (remarks of Rep. Steiger) ("the use of specified racketeering methods to acquire or operate commercial organizations").
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