U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords demonstrated her strong support for greater accountability and transparency in the House of Representatives by voting tonight to create a new independent, bipartisan Office of Congressional Ethics.
"Fighting for accountability and transparency in Congress is one of my highest priorities," said Giffords. "The House ethics process simply has not been effective - it has been like having the fox guard the henhouse. The Office of Congressional Ethics is a big step in the right direction."
The office will be empowered with the authority to investigate lawmakers accused of potentially unethical or illegal conduct. Its establishment was supported by a majority of the House tonight in a 229 to 182 vote.
"The American people have entrusted their elected representatives with tremendous responsibility," Giffords said. "Most members of Congress take that responsibility very, very seriously. For those who do not, there should be consequences."
The Office of Congressional Ethics will be led a six-member panel jointly appointed by the House Speaker and Minority Leader. To ensure its independence and impartiality, current House members and lobbyists will be ineligible to serve on the panel. At least one Democratic appointee and one Republican appointee must approve a request to launch an investigation.
Last May, Giffords was among 19 freshmen lawmakers who called on House leaders to create an independent commission to investigate members of Congress accused of ethics violations. She also was among 27 freshmen who urged the chairman of the Special Task Force on Ethics Enforcement to insist on greater independence in House ethics investigations.
The new Office of Congressional Ethics will be able to receive complaints from members of Congress and private citizens. If the allegations are deemed serious enough to warrant a second-phase investigation, the office must complete its work within 45 calendar or 5 legislative days. At the conclusion of an investigation, the panel will report its findings to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct with a recommendation about whether the committee should take further action.
"The public needs to know that Congress will move quickly whenever serious questions are raised about a lawmaker's conduct," Giffords said. "They need to know that those questions will be thoroughly scrutinized by a bipartisan and independent body. The House of Representatives must continue our progress towards greater accountability and transparency. I firmly believe the new Office of Congressional Ethics will help achieve these critically important goals."
Creation of the office is part of an ongoing effort by the 110th Congress to root out the kind of corruption that plagued previous Congresses. The House has already enacted the strongest ethics rules since the Watergate era and tough new lobbying reform laws. Giffords has been a strong supporter of these measures, which also included legislation to strip House members of their pensions if convicted of felonies related to their official duties
"We promised change," Giffords said, "and we are fulfilling that promise."