House Ethics Reform Act of 2006

Bill: 109-hr-4988
Sponsor: Rep. Hefley, Joel [R-CO-5]
Introduced: 2006-03-16 in the House
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Conflict of interests
Congressional committee chairmen
Congressional committee membership
Congressional committee staffing
Congressional committees (House)
Congressional employees
Congressional ethics
Congressional investigations
Congressional leadership
Congressional officers
Congressional publicity
Congressional reorganization
Congressional reporting requirements
Congressional travel
Congressional voting
Data banks
Due process of law
Electronic data interchange
Electronic government information
Employee training
Financial disclosure
Fines (Penalties)
Foreign agents
Gifts
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
House Standards of Official Conduct
House of Representatives
House rules and procedure
International Affairs
Labor and Employment
Law
Lobbying
Members of Congress
Misconduct in office
Names
Private aviation
Public corruption
Removal of officials
Science, Technology, Communications
Subpoena
Transportation and Public Works
Travel costs

Summary:
action_date: 2006-03-16
text: 
House Ethics Reform Act of 2006 - Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to require the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (Ethics Committee) to establish mandatory annual ethics training for Members of the House and officers.
 
Requires a Member, officer, standing committee, and permanent select committee of the House to designate an employee to serve as its ethics officer.
 
Prescribes requirements for: (1) the Committee's adoption of rules for ethics investigatory powers and procedures; (2) letters of admonition; (3) due process rights of respondents; and (4) simplification of settlement during an ethics process.
 
Amends the Rules of the House to: (1) add to the Code of Official Conduct the Code of Ethics for Government Service; (2) rename the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct as the Ethics Committee; (3) revise the terms of service of the Ethics Committee chairman and ranking minority member; (4) provide for their removal from the Committee as well as removal of staff; (5) prohibit them from discussing any investigation with the Speaker, Majority or Minority Leaders, or their staff; and (6) require certification that congressional travel meets certain conditions.
 
Requires disclosure by registered lobbyists of activities related to such travel.
 
Amends the Rules of the House to require electronic filing of travel records for privately-funded official travel, and their posting on the Clerk's Internet website.
 
Requires a Member, officer, or employee to file a report on any travel on a flight on an aircraft that is not licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate for compensation or hire (nongovernmental, corporate jets) taken in connection with such individual's duties approved by the Ethics Committee. Requires posting of such information on the Member's official website.
 
Requires: (1) immediate electronic public disclosure of lobbyists and foreign agent registrations; (2) public disclosure and website posting of any gift worth $20 or more to a Member, officer, or employee, or by a lobbyist or foreign agent; and (3) posting of lobbying registration and disclosure statements on the House official public Internet site.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-04-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H1880)
action_date: 2006-03-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committees on Standards of Official Conduct, and the Judiciary, 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.
action_date: 2006-03-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committees on Standards of Official Conduct, and the Judiciary, 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.
action_date: 2006-03-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committees on Standards of Official Conduct, and the Judiciary, 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.
action_date: 2006-03-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committees on Standards of Official Conduct, and the Judiciary, 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.
action_date: 2006-03-16
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2006-03-16
text: Introduced in House