[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 20]
[House]
[Pages 27008-27009]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



         OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT ETHICS AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2001

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 1202) to amend the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (5 
U.S.C. App.) to extend the authorization of appropriations for the 
Office of Government Ethics through fiscal year 2006.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1202

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Office of Government Ethics 
     Authorization Act of 2001''.

     SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 405 of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (5 
     U.S.C. App.) is amended by striking ``1997 through 1999'' and 
     inserting ``2002 through 2006''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Maryland (Mrs. Morella) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella).


                             General Leave

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Maryland?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 1202 is critically important to ensuring honesty, 
integrity, and impartiality in the executive branch of the Federal 
Government. The bill would reauthorize the Office of Government Ethics 
through fiscal year 2006.
  With a budget of $10 million and a staff of only 82, the Office of 
Government Ethics is a small agency. Despite its small size, however, 
it performs a vital function.
  The office, established in 1978, fosters high ethical standards for 
government employees. It oversees compliance by Federal departments and 
agencies with a variety of ethics laws. It issues rules and regulations 
for Federal employees to follow on such matters as conflict of 
interest, post-employment restrictions, standards of conduct, and 
financial disclosure. The office also reviews financial disclosure 
statements of certain Presidential nominees and, when necessary, 
recommends corrective action if it finds violations of ethics laws.
  In addition, the office trains employees in ethics, provides formal 
and informal guidance on the interpretation and application of various 
ethics laws, and it evaluates the effectiveness of conflict of interest 
and other ethics laws.
  During the last Congress, the Subcommittee on Civil Service and 
Agency Organization of the Committee on Government Reform held an 
oversight hearing on the Office of Government Ethics. That hearing 
revealed that the office has performed its duties exceedingly well. 
There is no question that the office has earned reauthorization from 
this Congress.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Civil 
Service and Agency Organization, I am pleased to join with the 
gentlewoman from Maryland in support of S. 1202, a bill to amend the 
Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to extend the authorization of 
appropriations for the Office of Government Ethics through fiscal year 
2006.
  OGE's mission is not only to prevent and resolve conflicts of 
interest and to foster high ethical standards for Federal employees, 
but also to strengthen the public's confidence so that the government's 
business is conducted with impartiality and integrity. OGE does this 
by, one, reviewing and certifying the financial disclosure forms filed 
by Presidential nominees requiring Senate confirmation; two, serving as 
the primary source of advice in counseling on conduct and financial 
disclosure issues; and, three, by providing information on promoting 
understanding of ethical standards in executive agencies.
  OGE and its staff are well regarded by the Federal agencies with whom 
they do business. OGE has played an essential and significant role in 
fostering the public's trust in the integrity of government.
  Mr. Speaker, there is no component of government more important than 
that of assuring the public's trust. OGE helps to build and maintain 
that kind of trust that is essential for an orderly, ethical, and 
respectable conduct of the Nation's business. For those reasons, I urge 
swift passage of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for his words 
and tell him that I do value working with him on the Subcommittee on 
Civil Service and Agency Organization. I also want to thank Senator 
Lieberman who chairs the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs for 
his sponsorship of this bill. Indeed, accolades to the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Burton), the chairman of the committee

[[Page 27009]]

on Government Reform and Oversight, and the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Waxman), the ranking member, for their support of this 
legislation. Also, thanks should go to the gentleman from Wisconsin 
(Mr. Sensenbrenner), the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, 
for his cooperation in expediting consideration of this measure.
  Mr. Speaker, promoting high ethical standards in the Federal 
Government is critically important if the citizens of this country are 
to have confidence in its operation. For this reason, I urge all 
Members to support S. 1202 and the reauthorization of the Office of 
Government Ethics.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 1202.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the 
ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a 
quorum is not present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8, rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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