Neguse Legislation to Strengthen Ethics in Government Passes House Judiciary Committee

Statement

On Wednesday, November 17th, Congressman Joe Neguse's Strengthening Ethics Act of 2021 was considered and passed by the House Judiciary Committee. This bill makes technical changes to title 5 of the US Code, elevating three critical provisions, included in the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Inspector General Act of 1978, and the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 into the bill text. From requiring financial disclosures from public officials to maintaining independent avenues for probing misconduct, these statutes are central to upholding the highest possible standards of government accountability. By moving these statutes into the base text of title 5 this bill will further the aim of the Judiciary Committee to provide oversight over the US Code and promote good governance.

"I wanted to lead this legislation because of the significance of these Nixon-era statutes in today's climate and the need for this committee to focus on good governance," said Congressman Neguse, a member of the House Judiciary Committee. "This bill follows other good governance bills that House Democrats have taken up, like HR 1, the For the People Act, which included provisions that would not only make it easier to vote and fight big money in politics but would also implement tougher ethics laws to ensure that elected officials are held accountable."

View the Committee markup HERE.

Congressman Neguse has been a champion of good governance throughout his time in Congress, cosponsoring legislation such as the For the People Act and the Protecting Our Democracy Act, both of which propose several critical measures to address issues regarding government transparency, responsiveness, and accountability.

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