Accountability and Transparency in Ethics Act

H.R. 4920, the Accountability and Transparency in Ethics Act, proposes to overhaul the oversight of congressional conduct by creating an independent Investigations Commission to probe alleged ethics violations by members and employees of the House of Representatives. The bill would also implement mandatory annual ethics training for lawmakers and require advance approval for any privately funded travel.

For the public, this legislation aims to increase government transparency by requiring lobbyists to file more frequent electronic disclosure reports, which would be hosted in a free, searchable online database. Additionally, the bill seeks to curb the "revolving door" influence by prohibiting former members of Congress and their staff from engaging in lobbying activities for one year after leaving office.