Reauthorization of the Office of Government Ethics

GAO discussed a 5-year extension of authorization for the Office of Government Ethics. GAO advocated the establishment of an office of Government ethics long before the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 was passed and believed in the need for such an office, because it was aware of the significant problems agencies were having with their financial disclosure system. GAO had identified these problems in a series of reviews that were started in 1974. Based on these reviews, GAO concluded that weaknesses in agency disclosure systems stemmed primarily from the low priority that agencies gave to standards of conduct and financial disclosure systems. Many employees were unaware of the requirements and, because they were unaware, they often placed themselves in possible conflict-of-interest situations. In February 1977, GAO recommended that the President establish an executive branch office of ethics, either as an independent office or as part of the Executive Office of the President. GAO still believes that the need for a central office that offers leadership to executive branch agencies and provides direction for conflict-of-interest policies is as important today as it was prior to passage of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.