[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 32 (Thursday, February 17, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S801]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COURTHOUSE ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2021
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be discharged
from further consideration of S. 3059 and the Senate proceed to its
immediate consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 3059) to amend the Ethics in Government Act of
1978 to provide for a periodic transaction reporting
requirement for Federal judicial officers and the online
publication of financial disclosure reports of Federal
judicial officers, and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the committee was discharged and the Senate
proceeded to consider the bill.
Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the Cornyn substitute
amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; and that the bill,
as amended, be considered read a third time.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment (No. 4931) in the nature of a substitute was agreed to
as follows:
(Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Courthouse Ethics and
Transparency Act''.
SEC. 2. PERIODIC TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ONLINE PUBLICATION
OF FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORTS OF FEDERAL
JUDGES.
(a) Periodic Transaction Reporting Requirement for Federal
Judges.--
(1) In general.--Section 103(l) of the Ethics in Government
Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended by adding at the end
the following:
``(11) Each judicial officer.
``(12) Each bankruptcy judge appointed under section 152 of
title 28, United States Code.
``(13) Each United States magistrate judge appointed under
section 631 of title 28, United States Code.''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1)
shall apply to applicable transactions occurring on or after
the date that is 90 days after the date of enactment of this
Act.
(b) Online Publication of Financial Disclosure Reports of
Federal Judges.--Section 105 of the Ethics in Government Act
of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections
(d) and (e), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
``(c) Online Publication of Financial Disclosure Reports of
Federal Judges.--
``(1) Establishment of database.--Subject to paragraph (4),
not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the
Courthouse Ethics and Transparency Act, the Administrative
Office of the United States Courts shall establish a
searchable internet database to enable public access to any
report required to be filed under this title by a judicial
officer, bankruptcy judge, or magistrate judge.
``(2) Availability.--Not later than 90 days after the date
on which a report is required to be filed under this title by
a judicial officer, bankruptcy judge, or magistrate judge,
the Administrative Office of the United States Courts shall
make the report available on the database established under
paragraph (1) in a full-text searchable, sortable, and
downloadable format for access by the public.
``(3) Redaction.--Any report made available on the database
established under paragraph (1) shall not contain any
information that is redacted in accordance with subsection
(b)(3).
``(4) Additional time.--
``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
requirements of this subsection may be implemented after the
date described in paragraph (1) if the Administrative Office
of the United States Courts identifies in writing to the
relevant committees of Congress the additional time needed
for that implementation.
``(B) Publication requirement.--The Administrative Office
of the United States Courts shall continue to make the
reports described in paragraph (1) available to the public
during the period in which the Administrative Office of the
United States Courts establishes the database under this
subsection.''.
(c) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Section 103(l) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978
(5 U.S.C. App.) (as amended by subsection (a)(1)) is
amended--
(A) in paragraph (9), by striking ``, as defined under
section 109(12)''; and
(B) in paragraph (10), by striking ``, as defined under
section 109(13)''.
(2) Section 105 of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (5
U.S.C. App.) (as amended by subsection (b)) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``be revealing'' and
inserting ``by revealing''; and
(B) in subsection (b)--
(i) in paragraph (1)--
(I) in the first sentence, by striking ``be,,'' and
inserting ``be,''; and
(II) in the third sentence, by striking ``may be may'' and
inserting ``may be, may''; and
(ii) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ``described in
section 109(8) or 109(10) of this Act'' and inserting ``who
is a judicial officer or a judicial employee''.
(3) Section 107(a)(1) of the Ethics in Government Act of
1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended in the last sentence by
striking ``and (d)'' and inserting ``and (e)''.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading and was read
the third time.
Mr. SCHUMER. I know of no further debate on the bill.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate?
Hearing none, the bill having been read the third time, the question
is, Shall the bill pass?
The bill (S. 3059), as amended, was passed.
Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be
considered made and laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________