[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 12, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E371]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       ESTABLISHING AN OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL ETHICS--CONTINUED

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                               speech of

                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 11, 2008

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the House passed H. Res. 895, a 
resolution establishing an independent Office of Congressional Ethics 
within the House of Representatives. I believe it is a long overdue, 
although partial, step to protect the public trust and bring greater 
transparency and accountability to the people's House.
  At the beginning of the 110th Congress, the Speaker said we must 
drain the swamp. We made some changes to the House Rules and passed 
legislation that mandated more extensive limits on gifts and travel, 
greater disclosure of activities by lobbyists, helped slow the 
revolving door of Members of Congress and staff to lobbying on behalf 
of private interests and brought greater transparency to the earmark 
process. Yesterday, following painstaking drafts, we took further 
steps.
  The scandals that have embroiled this institution over the last few 
years because of the unethical conduct of certain Members of Congress 
have eroded the faith that Americans have in our legislative branch of 
government. What has only deepened this cynicism is the belief that 
Congress does a very poor job in investigating the ethical lapses of 
its own Members. The contentious nature of the current ethics process 
has too often led to deadlock and an inability to truly investigate 
claims concerning Members of both parties. While I commend the 
leadership and the membership of the Committee on Standards of Official 
Conduct for the work they have done under trying circumstances, it is 
clear that the process has been missing an independent voice that can 
help us get above the partisanship and rancor that too often accompany 
these types of investigations. This bill is a step toward creating that 
independent voice.
  The legislation establishes an Independent Office of Congressional 
Ethics, composed of six members jointly appointed by the Speaker and 
the Minority Leader. Three of the members of the office will be 
nominated by the Speaker with the concurrence of the Minority Leader; 
three members would be nominated by the Minority Leader with the 
concurrence of the Speaker. The members, who cannot be current Members 
of the House, Federal employees or lobbyists, would serve four-year 
terms with one reappointment possible. The Office would have the 
ability to initiate review by written notice provided by two Office 
members, one of which must be appointed by the Speaker, the other by 
the Minority Leader. The Office would have the ability to refer a 
matter if three members affirmatively vote to move it to the Ethics 
Committee.
  The legislation has the support of a number of groups that have 
called for strong reform of the ethics process, including Common Cause, 
U.S. PIRG and recognized public policy experts such as Norman Ornstein 
of the American Enterprise Institute and Thomas Mann at the Brookings 
Institute. They recognize that in the past, the principle of Congress 
policing itself has just not worked. They have played a vital role in 
making sure that today's resolution comes to a vote so that all of us 
live up to the oath of office we take the first day of every new 
Congress. I also want to commend the Speaker who has promised and 
delivered on her pledge to bring vigorous, ethical leadership to this 
institution. Without taking action, we will only allow public cynicism 
about government to continue to grow. This important resolution will 
bring real ethics reform to Congress. It will help reestablish the 
trust and confidence of the American people in this institution and in 
the principle of honest and open government.

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