H.R. 8422: Clean Legislating and Ethical Accountability Now Act

The Clean Legislating and Ethical Accountability Now Act, also known as the CLEAN Act, aims to establish the Office of Congressional Ethics as a permanent body within the House of Representatives. Here are the key provisions of the bill:

1. Permanent Establishment

The bill enacts House Resolution 895 from the One Hundred Tenth Congress into permanent law, ensuring that the Office of Congressional Ethics exists as a standing committee of the House of Representatives.

2. Governance and Functioning

• The Office will be recognized as the Committee on Ethics, succeeding the previous Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.
• No individual can serve on the board of the Office for more than four consecutive two-year terms.
• Any vacancies on the board must be filled within 60 calendar days of their occurrence. This includes positions that become vacant due to term limits.
• However, if a vacancy remains unfilled past the deadline, the board can continue to operate as long as there are at least three members present.
• Individuals on the board exceeding the term limits must be removed within 30 days from the date the act is enacted.

3. Rights of Individuals Under Review

• The Office is prohibited from taking actions that would infringe upon any rights or protections guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.

4. Purpose and Accountability

The overall intent of the bill is to promote ethical conduct among members of Congress by ensuring oversight through a dedicated, permanent office. By establishing clear term limits for board members and providing rights for individuals under review, the bill aims to enhance accountability and transparency in congressional ethics enforcement.

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