Dec 27, 2012
Pursuant to House Rule 25, clause 5(i), on December 18, 2012, the Committee on Ethics voted unanimously to adopt new regulations for the acceptance and approval of privately sponsored, officially related travel. This action was the result of more than three years of hard work by Members of the Committee and staff assigned to the Travel Working Groups over the course of the 111th and 112th Congresses. The Committee thanks the members of the Working Groups for their service. Representative Charles Dent served in the 111th and 112th Congresses, Representative Peter Welch served in the 111th Congress, and Representative Donna Edwards served in the 112th Congress. As part of the process, the Working Groups met with other Members of Congress and representatives of the ethics community, with interests in privately sponsored congressional travel.
Dec 27, 2012
Today we announce the conclusion of the Committee on Ethics’ review of the allegations related to the “V.I.P.” program of the Countrywide Financial Corporation (Countrywide). In accordance with Committee Rules, this review was conducted in order to determine whether the allegations presented warranted further investigation by the Committee. After a lengthy and deliberate review, including over 2,000 of pages of documentation provided by Countrywide or its successor, Bank of America, as well as giving careful and serious consideration to the submission and reports of the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, the Committee has unanimously agreed to end its review with the publication of this statement, and the issuance of a general advisory issued simultaneously on the subject of the use of one’s position in the House of Representatives for personal gain or benefit.
Dec 20, 2012
Pursuant to Committee Rule 7(g), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics (Committee) determined on December 20, 2012, to release the following statement: