[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 28, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          U.S. SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON ETHICS ANNUAL REPORT

  Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent, for myself as 
chairman of the Select Committee on Ethics and for Senator Christopher 
A. Coons, vice chairman of the committee, that the Annual Report for 
the Select Committee on Ethics for calendar year 2019 be printed in the 
Record. The Committee issues this report today, January 28, 2020, 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 of the Select Committee on Ethics

                     116th Congress, Second Session


                            January 28, 2020

       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 
     31st 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 2019 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: 251. (In addition, 16 
     alleged violations from previous years were carried into 
     2019.)
       (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: 135. (This figure 
     includes 4 matters from the previous year carried into 2019.)
       (B) Because they failed to provide sufficient facts as to 
     any material violation of the Senate rules beyond mere 
     allegation or assertion: 118. (This figure includes 5 matters 
     from previous years carried into 2019.)
       (3) The number of alleged violations for which the 
     Committee staff conducted a preliminary inquiry: 16. (This 
     figure includes 8 matters from previous years carried into 
     2019.)
       (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 
     or because it was inadvertent, technical or otherwise of a de 
     minimis nature: 11.
       (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 2019, the Committee staff conducted 36 Member and 
     committee office campaign briefings (includes 6 remedial 
     training sessions); 21 employee code of conduct training 
     sessions; 11 public financial disclosure clinics, seminars, 
     and webinars; 19 ethics seminars and customized briefings for 
     Member DC offices, state offices, and Senate committees; 4 
     private sector ethics briefings; and 3 international 
     briefings.
       In 2019, the Committee staff handled approximately 10,998 
     inquiries (via telephone and email) for ethics advice and 
     guidance.
       In 2019, the Committee wrote approximately 784 ethics 
     advisory letters and responses including, but not limited to, 
     581 travel and gifts matters (Senate Rule 35) and 133 
     conflict of interest matters (Senate Rule 37).
       In 2019, the Committee received 3,586 public financial 
     disclosure and periodic disclosure of financial transactions 
     reports.

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