I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4799 
To establish the Office of Public Integrity as an independent office within 
the legislative branch of the Government, to reduce the duties of the 
Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of the House of Representa-
tives and the Select Committee on Ethics of the Senate, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 16, 2006 
Mr. SHAYS (for himself and Mr. MEEHAN) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition 
to the Committees on Rules and the Judiciary, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish the Office of Public Integrity as an independent 
office within the legislative branch of the Government, 
to reduce the duties of the Committee on Standards 
of Official Conduct of the House of Representatives and 
the Select Committee on Ethics of the Senate, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE OF PUBLIC INTEG-
RITY. 
There is established, as an independent office within 
the legislative branch of the Government, the Office of 
Public Integrity (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Office’’). 
SEC. 2. DIRECTOR. 
(a) APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR.—(1) The Office 
shall be headed by a Director who shall be appointed joint-
ly by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the 
majority leader of the Senate, and the minority leaders 
of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The selec-
tion and appointment of the Director shall be without re-
gard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of fit-
ness to perform the duties of the Office. 
(2)(A) No individual who has been a registered lob-
byist under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 or an 
agent of a foreign government under the Foreign Agents 
Registration Act within 5 years of the date of appointment 
shall be eligible for appointment as the Director. 
(B) The Director may not have been a Member of 
the House of Representatives or Senator. 
(C) The Director shall possess demonstrated integ-
rity, independence, and public credibility and shall have 
training or experience in law enforcement, the judiciary, 
or as a member of a Federal, State, or local ethics enforce-
ment agency. 
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(b) VACANCY.—A vacancy in the directorship shall be 
filled in the manner in which the original appointment was 
made. 
(c) TERM OF OFFICE.—The Director shall serve for 
a term of 5 years and may be reappointed. 
(d) REMOVAL .—The Director may be removed by a 
majority of the appointing authority for— 
(1) disability that substantially prevents the Di-
rector from carrying out his duties; 
(2) incompetence; 
(3) neglect of duty; or 
(4) malfeasance, including a felony or conduct 
involving moral turpitude. 
In removing the Director, a statement of the reasons for 
removal shall be provided in writing to the Director by 
the members who voted for removing the Director and 
shall be made public. 
(e) COMPENSATION.—The Director shall be com-
pensated at the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for 
level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of 
title 5, United States Code. 
SEC. 3. DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE OFFICE. 
(a) DUTIES.—The Office is authorized— 
(1) to receive, monitor, and oversee financial 
disclosure and other reports filed by Members of 
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Congress and officers and employees of Congress 
under the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, and 
reports filed by registered lobbyists under the Lob-
bying Disclosure Act of 1995; 
(2) to investigate any alleged violation, by a 
Member, officer, or employee of the House of Rep-
resentatives or the Senate, of any rule or other 
standard of conduct applicable to the conduct of 
such Member, officer, or employee under applicable 
House or Senate rules in the performance of his du-
ties or the discharge of his responsibilities; 
(3) to present a case of probable ethics viola-
tions to the Committee on Standards of Official 
Conduct of the House of Representatives or the Sen-
ate Select Committee on Ethics; 
(4) to make recommendations to the Committee 
on Standards of Official Conduct of the House of 
Representatives or the Senate Select Committee on 
Ethics that it report to the appropriate Federal or 
State authorities any substantial evidence of a viola-
tion by a Member, officer, or employee of the House 
of Representatives or the Senate of any law applica-
ble to the performance of his duties or the discharge 
of his responsibilities, which may have been disclosed 
in an investigation by the Office; 
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(5) to provide information and informal guid-
ance to Members, officers and employees of the 
House of Representatives and the Senate regarding 
any rules and other standards of conduct applicable 
to such individuals in their official capacities, and 
develop and carry out periodic educational briefings 
for Members, officers, and employees of the House 
of Representatives on those laws, rules, regulations, 
or other standards; 
(6) to give consideration to the request of any 
Member, officer, or employee of the House of Rep-
resentatives or the Senate for a formal advisory 
opinion or other formal ruling, subject to the review 
of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct 
of the House of Representatives or the Senate Select 
Committee on Ethics, as applicable, with respect to 
the general propriety of any current or proposed 
conduct of such Member, officer, or employee and, 
with appropriate deletions to assure the privacy of 
the individual concerned, to publish such opinion for 
the guidance of other Members, officers, and em-
ployees of the House of Representatives or the Sen-
ate; 
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(7) to conduct periodic and random reviews and 
audits of reports filed with it to ensure compliance 
with all applicable laws and rules; and 
(8) to provide informal guidance to registrants 
under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 of their 
responsibilities under such Act. 
(b) POWERS.— 
(1) OBTAINING
INFORMATION.—Upon request 
of the Office, the head of any agency or instrumen-
tality of the Government shall furnish information 
deemed necessary by the Director to enable the Of-
fice to carry out its duties. 
(2) REFERRALS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUS-
TICE.—Whenever the Director has reason to believe 
that a violation of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 
1995 may have occurred, he shall refer that matter 
to the Department of Justice for it to investigate. 
(3) GENERAL AUDITS.—The Director shall have 
the authority to conduct general audits of filings 
under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995. 
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