[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4623]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             INTRODUCTION OF THE ETHICS REFORM ACT OF 2007

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                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 16, 2007

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, today I am introducing the Ethics 
Reform Act of 2007 with Congressman Greg Walden. This legislation would 
abolish the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct and establish an 
Independent Ethics Commission.
  Recent legislation and current proposals attempt to reform the ethics 
process; however, they do not address the core issue at hand, 
Congress's ability to govern its own ethical behavior. Members of 
Congress and their personal relationships can skew the evaluation 
process and create the potential for decisions being made upon a 
personal or political basis. This legislation would rectify these 
issues by replacing the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct with 
a panel made up of former Members of Congress who can bring a higher 
level of objectivity to the table.
  Our ethics reform bill would deal comprehensively with accountability 
and oversight of Congress in a way that cannot be accomplished under 
the current system.

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