[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 114 (Thursday, August 5, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10401-S10402]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. THOMPSON (for himself and Mr. Lieberman):
  S. 1503. A bill amend the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. 
App.) to extend the authorization of appropriations for the Office of 
Government. Ethics through fiscal year 2003; to the Committee on 
Governmental Affairs


       the office of government ethics authorization act of 1999

  Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a statement 
by Senator Lieberman and myself regarding the ``Office of Government 
Ethics Authorization Act of 1999'' be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection the statement was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

[[Page S10402]]

   Joint Statement by Senator Fred Thompson, Chairman, Committee on 
 Governmental Affairs, and Senator Joseph Lieberman, Ranking Minority 
 Member, Committee on Governmental Affairs, on the Introduction of the 
       ``Office of Government Ethics Authorization Act of 1999''

       Today we are pleased to join together in introducing the 
     ``Office of Government Ethics Authorization Act of 1999.'' 
     This legislation would reauthorize the Office of Government 
     Ethics for four years, through the end of fiscal year 2003.
       The Office of Government Ethics was created in 1978 to 
     administer the Ethics in Government Act. The Office was 
     established as a separate agency in the Executive branch, 
     independent from the Office of Personnel Management, as part 
     of the Office's reauthorization in 1988. The Office is headed 
     by a Director who is appointed to serve a 5-year term with 
     the advice and consent of the Senate. The current Director, 
     Stephen Potts, is serving his second term which expires in 
     August 2000.
       The Office has responsibility for Executive branch policies 
     relating to preventing conflicts of interest on the part of 
     officers and employees in the Executive branch. The Office is 
     a small and respected agency and promotes policies and 
     ethical standards that are implemented by a network of more 
     than 120 Designated Agency Ethics Officers. The Office also 
     provides training and educational programs in an effort to 
     provide guidance to employees throughout the government.
       The Office's current authorization is set to expire at the 
     end of this fiscal year. In introducing this legislation, it 
     is our expectation for the Committee on Governmental Affairs 
     and the Senate to act on a timely basis in reauthorizing this 
     agency.
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