April 6, 2001
DO-01-015MEMORANDUM
TO: Designated Agency Ethics Officials
FROM: Amy L. Comstock
Director
SUBJECT: Report on Improvements to the Financial Disclosure
Process for Presidential Nominees
The Office of Government Ethics (OGE) has submitted a "Report on Improvements to the Financial Disclosure Process for Presidential Nominees" to the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on Government Reform. The report presents the results of a study that OGE was directed to undertake under the Presidential Transition Act of 2000. The report, as well as my statement before the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs on April 5, 2001, is now available on OGE's web site at www.usoge.gov.
We believe that this is an appropriate time to review the requirements of the public financial disclosure system with an eye toward developing legislative proposals to reduce reporting detail. As the report indicates, we are confident that this can be done without lessening the ability to conduct a thorough conflict of interest analysis or diminishing the effectiveness of the disclosure system in promoting public confidence in Government.
The report has been well received by the Congressional leadership. We hope to move forward in the coming months to support legislative initiatives that would be necessary to implement the recommendations in the report. I want to thank everyone who provided comments about how to improve the public disclosure system in response to a Federal Register notice and during informal discussions with me. We will keep you informed of future developments.
