[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 16 (Thursday, January 31, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S538-S539]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2007--SELECT COMMITTEE ON ETHICS

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent, for myself as 
chairman of the Select Committee on Ethics and for Senator Cornyn as 
vice chairman of the committee, that the following ``Annual Report for 
2007--Select Committee on Ethics'' be printing in the Record. The 
committee issues this report today as required by the Honest Leadership 
and Open Government Act of 2007.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

           Annual Report for 2007--Select Committee on Ethics

       The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (the 
     ``Act'') calls for the Select Committee on Ethics of the 
     United States Senate to issue an annual report no later than 
     January 31 of each year providing information in certain 
     categories describing its activities for the preceding year. 
     Reported below is the information describing the Committee's 
     activities in 2007 in the categories set forth in the Act:

[[Page S539]]

       (1) The number of alleged violations of Senate rules 
     received from any source [in 2007], including the number 
     raised by a Senator or staff of the Committee: 95. (This 
     figure does not include 16 alleged violations from the 
     previous year carried into 2007.)
       (2) The number of alleged violations that were dismissed--
       (A) For lack of subject matter jurisdiction or in which, 
     even if the allegations in the complaint are true, no 
     violation of Senate rules would exist: 71. (This figure 
     includes 5 matters originating in the previous year.)
       (B) Because they failed to provide sufficient facts as to 
     any material violation of the Senate rules beyond mere 
     allegation or assertion'': 15. (This figure includes 2 
     matters originating in the previous year.)
       (3) The number of alleged violations in which the Committee 
     staff conducted a preliminary inquiry: 16. (This figure 
     includes 9 matters from the previous year carried into 2007 
     and includes 5 inquiries continuing into 2008.)
       (4) The number of alleged violations that resulted in an 
     adjudicatory review: 0.
       (5) The number of alleged violations that the Committee 
     dismissed for lack of substantial merit: 11. (This figure 
     includes 7 matters from the previous year carried into 2007.)
       (6) The number of private letters of admonition or public 
     letters of admonition issued: 0.
       (7) The number of matters resulting in a disciplinary 
     sanction: 0.
       (8) Any other information deemed by the Committee to be 
     appropriate to describe its activities in the previous year:
       In 2007, the Committee, through its staff, conducted 121 
     ethics educational briefings and seminars, including 72 
     sessions for individual Member or Committee offices and 37 
     sessions for a general Senate audience.
       In 2007, Committee staff handled over 16,000 telephone 
     inquiries for ethics advice and guidance.
       In 2007, the Committee wrote over 1,000 ethics advisory 
     letters and responses, including over 700 advisories 
     concerning gifts or travel.
       The Committee issued over 3,500 letters concerning 
     financial disclosure filings by Senators, Senate staff and 
     Senate candidates, including over 1,200 letters concerning 
     required amendments to these disclosure filings.

                          ____________________