[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 18 (Thursday, January 30, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S649-S650]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


            ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON ETHICS

  Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, 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 not 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 2013 
in the categories set forth in the act:
  (1) The number of alleged violations of Senate rules received from 
any source, including the number raised by a Senator or staff of the 
Committee: 26. (In addition, two alleged violations from the previous 
year were carried into 2013.)
  (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: 19.
       (B) Because they failed to provide sufficient facts as to 
     any material violation of the Senate rules beyond mere 
     allegation or assertion: 7.


[[Page S650]]


  (3) The number of alleged violations for which the Committee staff 
conducted a preliminary inquiry: 2. (This figure includes one matter 
from the previous calendar year carried into 2013.)
  (4) The number of alleged violations for which the Committee staff 
conducted a preliminary inquiry that resulted in an adjudicatory 
review: 0.
  (5) The number of alleged violations for which the Committee staff 
conducted a preliminary inquiry and the Committee dismissed the matter 
for lack of substantial merit: 1.
  (6) The number of alleged violations for which the Committee staff 
conducted a preliminary inquiry and the Committee issued private or 
public letters of admonition: 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 2013, the Committee staff conducted 12 new Member ethics training 
sessions; nine Member and committee office campaign briefings; 13 
employee code of conduct training sessions; eight public financial 
disclosure clinics, seminars, and webinars; 28 ethics seminars and 
customized briefings for Member DC offices, state offices, and Senate 
committees; three private sector ethics briefings; and eight 
international briefings.
  In 2013, the Committee staff handled approximately 8,073 telephone 
inquiries and 1,980 inquiries by email for ethics advice and guidance.
  In 2013, the Committee wrote approximately 755 ethics advisory 
letters and responses including, but not limited to, 608 travel and 
gifts matters (Senate Rule 35) and 104 conflict of interest matters 
(Senate Rule 37).
  In 2013, the Committee issued 3,246 letters concerning financial 
disclosure filings by Senators, Senate staff and Senate candidates and 
reviewed 1,760 reports.

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