The Hill and the Washington Post report that Democrats on the House Special Task Force on Ethics Enforcement support the creation of an independent panel to review ethics complaints and make recommendations to the House ethics committee. The "Office of Congressional Ethics" would consist of six members jointly appointed by the speaker and minority leader who would serve four-year terms and be served by a nonpartisan professional staff. Current lawmakers and lobbyists would not be able to be on the panel. The panel would first conduct preliminary reviews of complaints and then conduct a second phase review of the ones it finds most serious for referral to the House Ethics Committee. The cases referred to the Ethics Committee would have to be considered within 45 calendar or five legislative days followed by a public statement or finding of its verdict.

The Senate Ethics Committee has released new guidelines on Senate travel rules in accordance with the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act. According to BNA Money and Politics ($$);

the Senate allows any charitable organization that is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the tax code to offer to pay for fact-finding trips for senators and Senate staff, even if the organization has lobbyists. In the House, only educational institutions can sponsor trips regardless of whether they have lobbyists. For-profit companies and other organizations that hire lobbyists generally are banned from sponsoring long fact-finding trips under both the House's and Senate's new rules. These entities are allowed only to sponsor trips that include single-day, official events, such as a speech or conference, with a possible overnight stay of one or two nights before and after the event.

Both the House and Senate travel rules prohibit privately sponsored travel for recreational purposes, and lobbyists' participation in travel, and both also require pre-approval of privately sponsored travel from their ethics committee.