Washington, Feb 29, 2008 -

U.S. Congressman John Carter (TX-31) today urged House Democrats to consider a House Ethics Reform package that will fix the broken ethics system and bring real ethics enforcement to Congress.

“As a judge in Williamson County for over twenty years, and as the Congressman for the 31st District, I strongly believe that integrity and accountability in Congress should be a priority,” Congressman Carter said.  “It is time that Congress steps up and restores the American people’s trust in their government.  Fixing a broken Washington requires the real reform that this proposal offers.”

• Require that all members appointed to the Ethics Committee be chosen jointly by the Speaker and Minority Leader, maintaining an even balance between the parties.

• Require the committee’s chairmanship to rotate between the parties at the beginning of each Congress, without regard to which party holds a majority in the House.

• Authorize the Office of Inspector General to receive and transmit to the Ethics Committee information submitted by outside individuals and organizations alleging ethical misconduct by Members and staff.  Such transmittals would be purely administrative and made without any substantive review of the material received.

• Require the Ethics Committee to release a monthly public report on its investigative activities.  Each new allegation received since the previous report would be listed individually in general form, without disclosing either the name of the individual who is the subject of the allegation or its particulars.

• That each monthly report include status updates on all pending matters not previously reported as resolved, using notations such as: “Awaiting investigation,” “Under active investigation,” “Dismissed-frivolous,” “Subject of an active Investigation Subcommittee,” “Action suspended-deferral to Justice Department” and “Referred to Department of Justice.”

• That the existence, but not the details, of a “partisan impasse” on how to proceed concerning any allegation of misconduct be publicly disclosed after 30 days-and that after 90 days of inaction due to a partisan dispute, the matter be referred to the Justice Department without recommendation.  This provision would apply to impasses on the full committee, and investigative subcommittee, and between the chairman and ranking minority Member.

• Require the Ethics Committee, not more than 30 days after receiving a written request from a Member, Officer or staffer, to disclose publicly whether that individual is under investigation by the committee and, if so, indicate the current status of the pending matter using terms drawn from the committee’s monthly reports.