Davis Votes for Measure to Provide Tougher House Rules on Ethics Investigations

Press Release

Davis Votes for Measure to Provide Tougher House Rules on Ethics Investigations

Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis voted in favor of H. Res. 451, a measure that would require an investigation by the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct for any Member of Congress who is indicted or otherwise formally charged with criminal conduct. The measure passed the House. Previously, it was within the discretion of the committee's chairman as to whether an investigation would proceed. This legislation comes on the heels of a 16-count indictment against Congressman William Jefferson, a Democrat from Louisiana, whose ethics investigation has been stalled since the new Congress took control in January.

"It is unfortunate that it took a 16-count indictment against a lawmaker to make these necessary rule changes because they are long overdue," said Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis. "It is essential that this body be held accountable for its actions, and this includes the actions of its individual members. Members of Congress are not above the law, and whenever a member is indicted, an internal investigation by the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct should be conducted," added Davis.

Specifically, the measure would resolve that whenever a Member of the House of Representatives, including a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress, is indicted or otherwise formally charged with criminal conduct in a court of the United States or any State, the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct shall, not later than 30 days after the date of such indictment or charge, empanel an investigative subcommittee to review the allegations or if the Committee does not empanel an investigative subcommittee to review the allegations, submit a report to the House describing its reasons for not empanelling such an investigative subcommittee, together with the actions, if any, the Committee has taken in response to the allegations.

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