Bill Overview
Title: CLEAN Act
Description: This bill makes the Office of Congressional Ethics a permanent office within the House of Representatives by providing statutory authority for the office. (Under current law, the office operates under a House resolution and must be reauthorized during each Congress as a part of the House rules.)
Sponsors: Rep. O'Halleran, Tom [D-AZ-1]
Target Audience
Population: People indirectly affected by increased legislative ethics accountability
Estimated Size: 330000000
- The bill aims to make the Office of Congressional Ethics a permanent body. This office investigates ethical violations by members of Congress and their staff.
- A permanent Office of Congressional Ethics would potentially impact members of Congress by increasing the likelihood of ethical oversight and consequences for ethical breaches.
- The general public may be impacted indirectly as greater ethical accountability in Congress could lead to increased trust in government institutions and more ethical legislative processes.
Reasoning
- The policy impacts everyone as it enhances ethical accountability in Congress, potentially leading to a more trustworthy government.
- The policy's budget constraints mean the immediate visible impact might be limited, but over time, with sustained funding, the ethical culture might shift in Congress, indirectly affecting citizens.
- Most individuals may not notice immediate personal changes but could experience indirect benefits over time through improved governance.
- The budget allocation aims primarily at ensuring the permanence of the office, which has a symbolic value of long-term commitment to ethics.
- Public perception and indirect impacts on wellbeing are hard to measure but essential for evaluating this policy.
- Challenges include quantifying changes in public trust and translating ethical oversight improvements into measurable wellbeing changes.
Simulated Interviews
public school teacher (California)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy makes me hopeful about the future of our government.
- Ethical transparency is overdue in Congress.
- I teach my students the importance of ethics, and seeing Congress held to higher standards is inspiring.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
software engineer (Texas)
Age: 25 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 17/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Honestly, I don't follow Congressional ethics closely, but I think more oversight is always good.
- I'm skeptical about how much change this will bring without public involvement.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
NGO worker (New York)
Age: 40 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is a step in the right direction, but we need follow-through.
- Many communities are still skeptical of governmental promises.
- Real change takes more than laws; it requires cultural shift within Congress.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
retired military (Ohio)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Ethics in Congress have been lacking, this policy might help.
- Accountability is key for a trustworthy government.
- I'm optimistic but watchful about the results.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
small business owner (Florida)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This might make policies more consistent and reliable, which could benefit businesses.
- Ethical accountability is as important in business as in politics.
- Hopefully, this leads to broader trust in government.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
college student (Georgia)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The CLEAN Act is a fascinating move, indicative of a shift towards better practices.
- I hope this inspires greater political engagement among students.
- It’s important but just one piece of a larger puzzle.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
nurse (Illinois)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I care about healthcare policy more, but this could affect overall government approachability.
- Ethics are important for gaining trust in all sectors, including healthcare.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
farmer (Arizona)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is a mixed bag; ethics oversight is crucial, but I want to see agricultural implications.
- Transparency in Congress could ease concerns about overlooked rural issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
intern (Washington D.C.)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I see firsthand how ethics impact daily operations in Congress.
- Hope this change is not just superficial but leads to genuine improvements.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
lawyer (Pennsylvania)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's a positive move, but enforcement will determine its success.
- The policy might not change much unless there's significant public pressure for accountability.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $4500000, High: $6000000)
Year 2: $5000000 (Low: $4500000, High: $6000000)
Year 3: $5000000 (Low: $4500000, High: $6000000)
Year 5: $5000000 (Low: $4500000, High: $6000000)
Year 10: $5000000 (Low: $4500000, High: $6000000)
Year 100: $5000000 (Low: $4500000, High: $6000000)
Key Considerations
- The cost of the Office of Congressional Ethics will largely depend on its staffing and scope of investigations.
- There may be upfront costs in institutionalizing the office, but these could stabilize over time.
- Potential indirect economic and social benefits from enhanced ethical oversight and trust in government.