ETHICS
For true national security Joe Sestak believes we need a restored faith in government and that will only come from hard work, transparency, and following strong ethical standards. When Joe entered the military, it ranked last among public institutions. When he retired more than 30 years later, it was first. Joe saw what it takes to restore confidence and was part of the hard work needed to bring that about. When he was elected, Congress ranked next to last. Joe wants to be part of the effort, like in the Navy, to restore Americans’ faith in government through hard work, providing unprecedented openness and transparency to government, and strengthening ethical requirements and increasing penalties for those that violate the trust of the people.
Joe believes more needs to be done to increase transparency in the earmark process and to move earmarks into a more competitive grant process. He supports increased investment in the election process coupled with sensible campaign reforms to include public financing. He is also working to make the federal government easier to understand and more accessible, for example creating and distributing the first of its kind grant and resource manual.
HIGHLIGHTS OF JOE SESTAK’S LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS TO RESTORE FAITH IN GOVERNMENT
AUTHORED THE INDEPENDENT ETHICS COMMISSION ACT: Created an independent Office of
Congressional Ethics in the House of Representatives to assist the House Ethics Committee in enforcing House ethics rules. The Office has authority to review potential violations by Members and recommend to the Committee that a matter requires further Committee inquiry or that the matter should be dismissed. The Office is to submit a report to the Ethics Committee that includes findings of fact about potential ethics violations, and a description of relevant ethics rules, standards of conduct, or applicable laws. It allowed complaints filed by those outside of the House, and granted the office subpoena power.
VOTED TO REQUIRE GREATER TRANSPARENCY IN APPROPRIATIONS AND REDUCE EARMARKS
Requires Members of Congress to disclose in writing the name and address of an earmark’s intended recipient and its purpose; and to certify that the member (and his/her spouse) have no financial interest;
Prohibits the use of earmarks to reward or punish a Member of Congress for his or her vote; and
Requires all earmarks be subject to full and open debate.
Reduces Earmarks: In 2006, under a Republican controlled Congress, $16 billion of earmarks were passed. When Congressman Sestak took office, he and his colleagues cut that amount by 43 percent to $9 billion.
VOTED FOR TARP REFORM AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2009: To reform and ensure accountability under the Troubled Assets Relief Program.
CO-SPONSORED THE CONTRACTOR ACCOUNTABILITY ACT: Requires an annual report on contract oversight by Federal departments and agencies.
CO-SPONSORED THE ABSENTEE BALLOT TRACK, RECEIVE AND CONFIRM (TRAC) ACT: Amends the Help America Vote Act to direct the Election Assistance Commission to reimburse a state for costs incurred in establishing, if the state so chooses, an absentee ballot tracking program for federal elections.
CO-SPONSORED THE VOTED FOR CONFIDENCE AND INCREASED ACCESSIBILITY ACT: Requires voting machines to produce individual, durable, and voter-verified paper ballots, and outlines federally mandated audit requirements for elections.
CALLED FOR FULL TRANSPARENCY OF THE AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT: Joe wrote to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, specifically requesting that federal agency reporting requirements be extended to States and local governments.
CALLED FOR FULL TRANSPARENCY OF TROUBLED ASSET RELIEF PROGRAM (TARP): In November 2008, while involved in House hearings examining root causes and effects of our economic crisis, Joe wrote to Secretary of Treasury Paulson that “restoration of public confidence in our governmental and financial institutions can not
begin until the American taxpayers see consistent enforcement of the oversight provisions – and behavior from the financial institutions acknowledging that many of them share the responsibility for the economic crisis that has engulfed our country and the rest of the global economy.”
CALLED ON ATTORNEY GENERAL MUKASEY TO CONDUCT OVERSIGHT INVESTIGATIONS: Joe wrote to U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey requesting “an appropriate and thorough investigation into any and all financial institutions, corporations, and individuals that are suspect of criminal action relating to our current economic crisis.”
CO-SPONSORED THE FAIR ELECTIONS NOW ACT: Supports public financing by amending the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 regarding: eligibility and qualifying contribution requirements and benefits of fair elections financing of House campaigns; establishment of a Fair Elections Fund; eligibility for Fund allocations; contribution and expenditure requirements; a public debate requirement; certification of whether a federal election candidate is participating; benefits for participating candidates; matching payments for qualified small dollar contributions; political advertising vouchers; establishment of a Fair Elections Oversight Board; civil penalties for violation of contribution and expenditure requirements; prohibition of joint fundraising committees with any political committee other than a candidate's authorized committee; and a specified limitation on coordinated expenditures by political party committees with participating candidates.
SUMMARY OF FUTURE INITIATIVES
Election Reform - To eliminate the opportunity for undue influence, Joe supports public financing for election campaigns and has co-sponsored a bill to accomplish this. He grew up at the Naval Academy, where the Honor Code was “don’t lie, cheat or steal”, and throughout his military career, the Navy had oversight from an independent Inspector General. He believes the same must be true of Members of Congress.
Ethics - Joe voted for legislation creating an independent Office of Congressional Ethics in the House of Representatives to assist the House Ethics Committee in enforcing House ethics rules. The Office has the authority to review potential ethics violations by Members and to recommend to the House Ethics Committee that a matter requires further inquiry by the Committee or that the matter should be dismissed. The Office is to submit a report to the Ethics Committee that includes findings of fact about potential violations, and a description of relevant ethics rules, standards of conduct, or applicable laws. Looking forward, Joe believes we need to take additional steps in this area. That is why he introduced HR 2822, which went further by allowing ethics complaints to not only be filed by those outside of the House, but also outside parties, and grant the office subpoena power.
Earmark Reform – Joe favors eliminating all earmarks from the appropriations process and instituting in its place a grant system that takes into account local input in Washington. On his own initiative, Joe has each year published on his website and distributed to the media details of all appropriations he helped secure for his District, including who received the funds and how much. If an organization or individual has made a request for an appropriations project, and has made a contribution to his campaign, he returns that contribution. To open up the application process, Joe holds yearly seminars and meets individually with officials from municipalities in his District.
Transparency in Government Spending – Joe believes that the lack of transparency and accountability in recent years has been unacceptable and he is dedicated to addressing the missteps that brought us to our current economic and financial crisis. For example, he has voted for H.R. 384, the TARP Reform and Accountability Act of 2009, which passed the House, but has failed to pass the Senate. The legislation would overhaul the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to strengthen accountability, increase transparency, close loopholes, and require the Treasury Department to take significant steps on foreclosure mitigation. It would require quarterly public reporting on the use of TARP funds, and mechanisms to ensure “appropriate” use and compliance with all terms for the use of funds. It also clarifies and confirms new uses for future funds released under TARP- including foreclosure mitigation, domestic automobile manufacturer assistance, and state and municipal bond purchasing. He believes we must go further to support oversight of federal spending.
