house ethics rules

Examples of house ethics rules in the following topics:

• Lobbying Scandals and the Reforms of 2007

  • Prohibits senior House staff from lobbying their former office or committee for one year after they leave House employment.
  • Prohibits lobbyists from providing gifts or travel to members of Congress with knowledge that the gift or travel is in violation of House or Senate rules.
  • Requires lobbyists to certify they have not given gifts or travel that would violate Senate or House rules.
  • Unlike previous lobbying regulations, the 2007 reforms also made an attempt to amend House ethics rules in the following ways:
  • Describe the rules that the Honest Leadership and Open Government act put in place to regulate lobbying

• Ethical Considerations

  • Business ethics is a form of applied ethics that examines ethical principles, moral/ethical problems that arise in a business environment.
  • Business ethics (also known as corporate ethics) is a form of applied ethics or professional ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that arise in a business environment.
  • Business ethicists differ in their orientation towards labor ethics.
  • SOX -- also known as the "Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act" in the Senate and "Corporate and Auditing Accountability and Responsibility Act" in the House -- is a United States Federal law that set new or enhanced standards for all U.S. public company boards, management and public accounting firms.
  • The act contains 11 titles, or sections, ranging from additional corporate board responsibilities to criminal penalties, and requires the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to implement rulings on requirements to comply with the law.

• A Brief Definition of Business Ethics

  • Business ethics is the written and unwritten principles and values that govern decisions and actions within companies.
  • Ethics is the branch of philosophy concerned with the meaning of all aspects of human behavior.
  • Theoretical ethics, sometimes called normative ethics, is about delineating right from wrong.
  • It helps us develop the rules and principles (norms) by which we judge and guide meaningful decision-making.
  • Business ethics, also called corporate ethics, is a form of applied ethics or professional ethics that examines the ethical and moral principles and problems that arise in a business environment.

• Corporate Policies

  • Companies often have corporate ethics statements or codes that identify ethical expectations and offer guidance.
  • It is hoped that having such a policy will lead to greater ethical awareness, consistency in application, and the avoidance of ethical disasters.
  • Some companies even require their employees to sign agreements stating that they will abide by the company's rules of conduct.
  • Ideally, the company will avoid a lawsuit because its employees will follow the rules.
  • For instance, the US Department of Commerce ethics program treats business ethics as a set of instructions and procedures to be followed by 'ethics officers'.

• What is ethics?

  • Ethics is the branch of philosophy concerned with the meaning of all aspects of human behavior.
  • Theoretical Ethics, sometimes called Normative Ethics, is about discovering and delineating right from wrong; it is the consideration of how we develop the rules and principles (norms) by which to judge and guide meaningful decisionmaking.
  • Business ethics is not chiefly theoretical in character.
  • It is best understood as a branch of ethics called applied ethics: the discipline of applying value to human behavior, relationships and constructs, and the resulting meaning.
  • Here are four ethical approaches that have stood the test of time.

• Obama vs. the Lobbyists?

  • Early in his presidency, Obama said "[lobbyists] won't find a job in my White House," but softened his stance later in the campaign.
  • Early in his presidential campaign, Obama stated that "they [lobbyists] won't find a job in my White House", but softened his stance later in the campaign.
  • The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington have criticized the administration, claiming that Obama is retreating from his own ethics rules barring lobbyists from working on the issues about which they lobbied during the previous two years by issuing waivers.
  • Starting his presidential years as an outspoken advocate of lobbying regulation, President Obama's actions in relation to lobbying have led some to believe that he has not lived up to the high ethical standards that he set out for himself.

• The Staff System

  • Majority and minority members hire their own staff, with the exception of two committees in each house: the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in the House, and the Select Committee on Ethics and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in the Senate.
  • In 2000, House committees had an average of 68 staff, and Senate committees an average of 46.
  • The Russell Senate Office Building houses several Congressional staff members, including those on the United States Senate Committees on Armed Services, Rules and Administration, Veterans' Affairs, and others.

• Rules to Follow When Speaking

  • Effective speakers engage in ethical goals, fully prepare their speeches, practice honesty and avoid abusive language.
  • As a public speaker, it's important to follow some basic rules as you approach the crafting and delivery of your speech.
  • These rules include ethical goals, full preparation, honesty, and non-abusive language.
  • If so, you'll want to make sure that you lead your audience to that belief point in an ethical manner.
  • Honesty is an extension of the ethical goals of your speech.

• Blurring Ethical Lines

  • Law and ethics are not the same thing.
  • In organizations, employees can look to the code of ethics or the statement of values for guidance about how to handle ethical gray areas.
  • The same goes with ethical decisions.
  • However, rules concerning the rights of workers are much more relaxed in China than in the United States.
  • Analyze the gray areas of ethical expectations within the context of corporate decision making and ethical business practice

• Ethics in Organizational Communications

  • Organizational ethics is interdependent with the organizational culture.
  • Effectively communicating ethical norms is key to realizing these benefits.
  • Commonly used tools include codes of ethics and employee handbooks.
  • Employee handbooks commonly include rules concerning expectations and consequences that follow misconduct.
  • Handbooks normally will clearly state the rules, guidelines, and standards of an organization as well as any rules, regulations, or laws they are bound by.