I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4920 
To amend the Rules of the House of Representatives to reform the ethics 
process, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 9, 2006 
Mr. CASTLE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on House Ad-
ministration and Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Rules of the House of Representatives to 
reform the ethics process, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Accountability and 
Transparency in Ethics Act’’. 
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TITLE 
I—OUTSIDE 
INVESTIGA-
TIONS COMMISSION AS SEPA-
RATE INVESTIGATORY ARM 
SEC. 101. ESTABLISHMENT AND MEMBERSHIP OF COMMIS-
SION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established an inde-
pendent ethics commission within the legislative branch of 
the Government to be known as the Investigations Com-
mission (in this title referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
(b) MEMBERSHIP
AND CHAIR.—The Commission 
shall consist of 7 individuals, 3 appointed by the Speaker, 
3 by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, 
and 1 appointed jointly by the Speaker and the minority 
leader and who shall serve as chairman. 
(c) QUALIFICATIONS.— 
(1) 
SPECIFIC
QUALIFICATIONS.—(A) 
Only 
former Members of Congress and retired Federal 
judges shall be eligible for appointment to the Com-
mission. 
(B) RETIRED JUDGE.— 
(i) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘retired 
judge’’ means any judge who has retired from 
the office and is not serving as a judge pursu-
ant to recall or otherwise. 
(ii) JUDGE.—The term ‘‘judge’’— 
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(I) means any judge of a court cre-
ated by Act of Congress under article III 
or article I of the United States Constitu-
tion; and 
(II) includes any bankruptcy judge or 
magistrate judge. 
(2) DISQUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENTS.— 
(A) LOBBYING.—No individual who has 
been a lobbyist registered under the Lobbying 
Disclosure Act of 1995 or engages in, or is oth-
erwise employed in, lobbying of the Congress or 
who is an agent of a foreign principal registered 
under the Foreign Agents Registration Act 
within the 5-year period immediately preceding 
appointment shall be eligible for appointment 
to, or service on, the Commission. 
(B) INCOMPATIBLE OFFICE.—No member 
of the Commission appointed under subsection 
(b) may be an elected public official or an offi-
cer or employee of the Federal Government. 
(3) VACANCIES.—A vacancy on the Commission 
shall be filled in the manner in which the original 
appointment was made. 
(d) TERM OF OFFICE.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), membership on the Commission shall be 
for 3 Congresses. A member of the Commission who 
is appointed to a term of office shall only be eligible 
for appointment for a single term of office. 
(2) FIRST
APPOINTMENTS.—Of the members 
first appointed to the Commission, 2 appointed by 
the Speaker, 2 appointed by the minority leader, and 
1 appointed jointly by them shall have a term of of-
fice of 3 Congresses, and the other 4 shall have 
terms of 2 Congresses. 
(e) COMPENSATION.—Members of the Commission 
shall each be paid at a rate equal to the rate of basic pay 
for level V of the Executive Schedule. 
(f) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the 
Commission shall constitute a quorum. 
(g) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the 
call of the chairperson or a majority of its members. 
SEC. 102. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 
The Commission is authorized— 
(1) to investigate any alleged violation, by a 
Member, officer, or employee of the House of Rep-
resentatives, of any law, rule, regulation, or other 
standard of conduct applicable to the conduct of 
such Member, officer, or employee in the perform-
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ance of his duties or the discharge of his responsibil-
ities, and after notice and hearing (unless the right 
to a hearing is waived by the Member, officer, or 
employee), shall report to the Committee on Stand-
ards of Official Conduct of the House of Representa-
tives its findings of fact and recommendations, if 
any, upon the final disposition of any such investiga-
tion, and such action as the Commission may deem 
appropriate in the circumstances; 
(2) to report to the appropriate Federal or 
State authorities, with the approval of the House of 
Representatives, any substantial evidence of a viola-
tion, by a Member, officer, or employee of the House 
of Representatives, of any law applicable to the per-
formance of his duties or the discharge of his re-
sponsibilities, which may have been disclosed in a 
Commission investigation; and 
(3) adopt rules governing its procedures to af-
ford protections to respondents comparable those 
that were provided by clause 3 of rule XI of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives in effect im-
mediately before the amendments to such rule made 
by section 107. 
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SEC. 103. POWERS OF COMMISSION. 
(a) HEARINGS AND EVIDENCE.—The Commission or, 
on the authority of the Commission, any subcommittee or 
member thereof, may, for the purpose of carrying out this 
title— 
(1) hold such hearings and sit and act at such 
times and places, take such testimony, receive such 
evidence, administer such oaths; and 
(2) subject to subsection (b), require, by sub-
poena or otherwise, the attendance and testimony of 
such witnesses and the production of such books, 
records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, and 
documents, as the Commission or such designated 
subcommittee or designated member may determine 
advisable. 
(b) SUBPOENAS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A subpoena may be issued 
under this subsection only— 
(A) by the agreement of the chair and the 
vice chair; or 
(B) by the affirmative vote of 5 members 
of the Commission. 
(2) SIGNATURE.—Subject to paragraph (1), 
subpoenas issued under this subsection may be 
issued under the signature of the chairman or any 
member designated by a majority of the Commis-
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sion, and may be served by any person designated 
by the chairman or by a member designated by a 
majority of the Commission. 
(c) OBTAINING INFORMATION.—Upon request of the 
Commission, the head of any agency or instrumentality 
of the Government shall furnish information deemed nec-
essary by the panel to enable it to carry out its duties. 
(d) TREATMENT OF TIE VOTES.—Whenever the vote 
to conduct an investigation has the same number of mem-
bers voting in the affirmative as in the negative, then the 
professional staff, pursuant to rules adopted by the Com-
mission, shall conduct a fact-finding investigation and re-
port its findings and recommendations to the Commission. 
Such report would either recommend a dismissal of the 
complaint or the commencement of a formal investigation. 
The Commission shall, upon receipt of the findings and 
recommendation, make the report public. An affirmative 
vote of a majority of the members of the Commission 
would be required to commence a formal investigation if 
the Commission determines that the matter merits further 
inquiry. 
SEC. 104. PROCEDURAL RULES. 
(a) MAJORITY
APPROVAL.—No report or rec-
ommendation relating to the official conduct of a Member, 
officer, or employee of the House of Representatives shall 
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be made by the Commission, and no investigation of such 
conduct shall be undertaken by the Commission, unless 
approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the mem-
bers of the Commission. 
(b) INVESTIGATIONS.—Except in the case of an in-
vestigation undertaken by the Commission on its own ini-
tiative, the Commission may undertake an investigation 
relating to the official conduct of an individual Member, 
officer, or employee of the House of Representatives 
only— 
(1) upon receipt of a complaint, in writing and 
under oath, made by or submitted to a Member of 
the House of Representatives and transmitted to the 
Commission by such Member, or 
(2) upon receipt of a complaint, in writing and 
under oath, directly from any citizen of the United 
States. 
(c) PROHIBITION OF CERTAIN INVESTIGATIONS.—No 
investigation shall be undertaken by the Commission of 
any alleged violation of a law, rule, regulation, or standard 
of conduct not in effect at the time of the alleged violation. 
(d) DISCLOSURE.—No information or testimony re-
ceived, or the contents of a complaint or the fact of its 
filing, shall be publicly disclosed by any member of the 
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Commission or staff of the Commission unless specifically 
authorized in each instance by a vote of the Commission. 
SEC. 105. STAFF OF COMMISSION. 
The Commission may appoint and fix the compensa-
tion of such staff as the Commission considers necessary 
to perform its duties. The director shall be appointed 
jointly by the Speaker and minority leader and shall be 
paid at a rate not exceed the rate of basic pay payable 
for Level V of the Executive Schedule. 
SEC. 106. ACTION ON HOUSE ETHICS COMMISSION REC-
OMMENDATIONS. 
(a) PRINTING
OF REPORTS
IN CONGRESSIONAL 
RECORD.—Upon receipt by the Committee on Standards 
of Official Conduct of the House of Representatives of any 
report of the House Ethics Commission, the chairman of 
the committee shall have the report printed in the Con-
gressional Record. 
(b) COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION OF HOUSE ETHICS 
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS.—After a report re-
ferred to in subsection (a) is printed in the Congressional 
Record recommending action by the Committee on Stand-
ards of Official Conduct of the House of Representatives 
respecting any alleged violation by a Member, officer, or 
employee of the House of Representatives, of any law, 
rule, regulation, or other standard of conduct applicable 
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to the conduct of such Member, officer, or employee in 
the performance of his duties or the discharge of his re-
sponsibilities, the committee shall vote upon whether to 
dismiss the underlying complaint, establish an adjudica-
tory subcommittee, or proceed to consider the matter in 
the full committee. 
SEC. 107. AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES OF THE HOUSE TO 
CHANGE THE DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE ON 
STANDARDS OF OFFICIAL CONDUCT. 
(a) HOUSE RULES AMENDMENTS.—Clause 3 of rule 
XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amend-
ed as follows: 
(1) Paragraph (a)(2) is amended by striking 
the first sentence and by inserting ‘‘before the 
House Ethics Commission’’ after ‘‘hearing’’ in the 
second sentence. 
(2)(A) Paragraph (b)(1) is amended by striking 
‘‘(A)’’, by striking ‘‘, or, except as provided in sub-
paragraph (2), undertake an investigation’’, and by 
striking subdivision (B). 
(B) Paragraph (b) is further amended by strik-
ing subparagraphs (2), (3), and (5) and by redesig-
nating subparagraphs (4), (6), and (7) as subpara-
graphs (2), (3), and (4), respectively. 
(3) Strike paragraphs (k), (l), (m), and (n). 
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(4) Paragraph (o) is amended by striking 
‘‘(1)’’, by striking ‘‘an investigative subcommittee 
or’’, by striking subparagraphs (2) and (3), and by 
redesignating such paragraph as paragraph (k). 
(5) Strike paragraphs (p) and (q). 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 803 of the 
Ethics Reform Act of 1989 (2 U.S.C. 29d) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (c); and 
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘an investiga-
tive subcommittee’’ each place it appears and insert-
ing ‘‘the House Ethics Commission’’. 
SEC. 108. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
This title shall take effect immediately prior to noon 
on January 3, 2007. 
TITLE 
II—BETTER 
ORGANIZA-
TION OF OVERSIGHT AND AC-
COUNTABILITY 
SEC. 201. MANDATORY ANNUAL ETHICS TRAINING FOR 
MEMBERS AND HOUSE EMPLOYEES. 
Clause 3 of rule XI of the Rules of the House of Rep-
resentatives is amended by adding at the end the following 
new paragraphs: 
‘‘(r)(1) The committee shall provide annual ethics 
training to each Member, Delegate, Resident Commis-
sioner, and employee of the House of Representatives 
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which shall include knowledge of the Code of Official Con-
duct, related House rules, and applicable provisions of law. 
‘‘(2) A new employee of the House shall receive train-
ing under this section not later than 30 days after begin-
ning service to the House. 
‘‘(3) At the end of each session of Congress, the 
chairman of the committee shall have printed in the Con-
gressional Record the names of any such individuals who 
failed to participate in such training during that session. 
‘‘(s)(1) The committee shall provide an 8-hour ethics 
training course to persons desiring to register as lobbyists 
under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 during a Con-
gress. The committee shall issue to any person who suc-
cessfully completes such training a license to engage in 
lobbying activities under that Act during that Congress. 
Such license shall be valid only during that Congress. A 
fee shall be charged for each license in an amount deter-
mined by the committee. 
‘‘(2) Training under subparagraph (1) shall cover in-
formation on the code of conduct and disclosure require-
ments applicable to Members, officers, and employees of 
the House, including rules relating to acceptance of gifts 
(including travel and meals), and financial disclosure re-
quirements under the Ethics in Government Act of 1978. 
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‘‘(3) The committee shall suspend the license of any 
person who commits an offense under chapter 11 of title 
18, United States Code (relating to bribery, graft, and 
conflicts of interest), or who violates section 7(b) of the 
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (relating to penalties for 
offering certain gifts).’’. 
SEC. 202. ETHICS COMMITTEE ADVANCED AUTHORIZATION 
OF TRAVEL. 
Clause 5(b) of rule XXV of the Rules of the House 
of Representatives is amended by inserting at the end the 
following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(6) Before a Member, Delegate, Resident Commis-
sioner, officer, or employee of the House may take a pri-
vately-funded trip— 
‘‘(A) that individual shall provide the estimated 
cost of the trip, the name of the entity paying for 
the trip, the purpose of the trip, and the proposed 
itinerary to the Committee on Standards of Official 
Conduct; and 
‘‘(B) that committee issues a letter stating that 
the trip complies with the applicable rules of the 
House.’’. 
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SEC. 203. STRENGTHENING NONPARTISANSHIP AND PRO-
FESSIONALISM 
OF 
THE 
COMMITTEE 
ON 
STANDARDS OF OFFICIAL CONDUCT. 
Clause 3(g)(1)(A) of rule XI of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives is amended by inserting ‘‘and 
may only be removed from their positions for cause’’ be-
fore the semicolon. 
TITLE III—LOBBYING REFORMS 
SEC. 301. TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS UNDER LOBBYING DIS-
CLOSURE ACT TO COMMITTEE ON STAND-
ARDS OF OFFICIAL CONDUCT. 
(a) FILING OF REGISTRATIONS.—Section 4 of the 
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1603) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘Clerk’’ 
and inserting ‘‘Committee on Standards of Official 
Conduct’’; and 
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘Clerk’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Committee on Standards of Official Con-
duct’’. 
(b) PENALTIES.—Section 7 of the Lobbying Disclo-
sure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1606) is amended by striking 
‘‘Clerk’’ and inserting ‘‘Committee on Standards of Offi-
cial Conduct’’. 
(c) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.—Section 8(c) of the 
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1607(c)) is 
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amended by striking ‘‘Clerk’’ and inserting ‘‘Committee 
on Standards of Official Conduct’’. 
(d) ESTIMATES BASED ON TAX REPORTING SYS-
TEM.—Section 15(c)(1) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 
1995 (2 U.S.C. 1610(c)(1)) is amended by striking 
‘‘Clerk’’ and inserting ‘‘Committee on Standards of Offi-
cial Conduct’’. 
SEC. 302. REGISTRATION FEES. 
Section 4(a)(1) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 
1995 (2 U.S.C. 1603(a)(1)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following: ‘‘The Committee on Standards of Offi-
cial Conduct of the House of Representatives shall charge 
a fee for each registration filed with the committee, in an 
amount determined by the committee.’’. 
SEC. 303. TIMING OF REPORTS; ELECTRONIC FILING. 
Section 5 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 
U.S.C. 1604) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in the heading, by striking ‘‘RE-
PORT.—No later than’’ and inserting ‘‘AND 
QUARTERLY REPORTS.— 
‘‘(1) FILING IN THE SENATE.—No later than’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘and the Clerk of the 
House of Representatives’’; and 
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(C) by striking the last sentence and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(2) FILING IN THE HOUSE.—No later than 30 
days after the end of each 3-month period beginning 
on the first day of each calendar quarter of each 
year in which a registrant is registered under section 
4, each registrant shall file a report with the Com-
mittee on Standards of Official Conduct of the 
House of Representatives on its lobbying activities 
during that 3-month period. 
‘‘(3) SEPARATE REPORTS.—A separate report 
under this subsection shall be filed for each client of 
the registrant.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) ELECTRONIC FILING.—Each report filed under 
paragraph (2) of subsection (a) shall be filed in electronic 
form, in addition to any other form that may be required 
by the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of the 
House of Representatives.’’. 
SEC. 304. ELECTRONIC DATABASE. 
Section 6 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 
U.S.C. 1605) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and inserting 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(b) ELECTRONIC DATABASE.—The Committee on 
Standards of Official Conduct of the House of Representa-
tives shall maintain, and make available to the public over 
the Internet, without a fee or other access charge, in a 
searchable, sortable, and downloadable manner, an elec-
tronic database that— 
‘‘(1) includes the information contained in re-
ports filed with the committee under this Act; and 
‘‘(2) is searchable and sortable, at a minimum, 
by each of the categories of information described in 
section 5(b).’’. 
SEC. 305. PENALTIES FOR OFFERING GIFTS. 
Section 7 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 
U.S.C. 1606) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Whoever’’ and inserting ‘‘(a) 
IN GENERAL.—Whoever’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b) PENALTIES FOR OFFERING CERTAIN GIFTS.— 
Any person who is— 
‘‘(1) a lobbyist registered under this Act, 
‘‘(2) a lobbyist who is an employee of an orga-
nization registered under this Act, or 
‘‘(3) the client of any such lobbyist or organiza-
tion, 
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