Summary: Since the passage of the Ethics Reform Act of 1989, the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct has improved its financial disclosure report review system. Today, state election offices are used to identify candidates who must file reports, reports are reviewed within 60 days of receipt, filers are notified when more information is needed, filers' reporting errors are being corrected, and late filing fees are being assessed. These actions are positive steps; however, some procedures can be strengthened. For example, financial disclosure reports reviewed by the Committee do not contain a reviewer's signature or a certification statement that the report complies with laws and regulations. More than 2,000 congressional employees as well as employees of six legislative branch agencies file financial disclosure statements with the Committee. Although it can compare the reported information to statutory limitations, the Committee staff is unlikely to have in-depth knowledge of the types of work that each filer does and thus may not be in the best position to identify all potential conflicts of interest. The Senate and the executive branch have someone in the filer's supervisory chain review them--someone with more direct knowledge of the filer's duties and responsibilities.
