Supreme Court Ethics and Accountability Reform
Where Things Stand
Congress is considering bills like S. 3914 and H.R. 7692 to create independent offices that would investigate ethics complaints against Supreme Court justices. These bills would give investigators the power to force testimony and require the Court to follow a formal code of conduct for gifts and money. All four related bills are currently stuck in committees as of April 1, 2026.
The Facts
Key Statements
“This bill creates two new offices to oversee the Supreme Court. One office would give justices advice on ethics rules, while the other would investigate complaints about their conduct.”
This describes the core investigative and advisory functions of the 2026 legislation.
“These offices would be led by legal experts who have not worked for the Court before, helping to ensure they can be objective when reviewing the actions of the justices.”
This explains how the bill ensures the independence of the new oversight offices.
Who This Affects
Mixed
The bill would create new federal positions within the Supreme Court, including chief ethics counsel, chief investigative counsel, and additional staff—all with salaries starting at $180,000-$225,000. These are new jobs with strong protections (only removable for cause), but they also impose new oversight burdens on existing Supreme Court employees whose actions around ethics could come under scrutiny.
Policies
These bills are organized as two pairs of House and Senate companion versions. The 2025 bills focus on creating a code of conduct, while the 2026 bills (S. 3914 and H.R. 7692) are the more recent versions that would establish independent investigative offices.
Sen. Booker Introduces Bill to Create Independent Ethics and Investigative Offices for the Supreme Court
Rep. Goldman Introduces Bill to Create Independent Ethics and Investigative Offices for Supreme Court Justices
House Committee Reviews Bill Requiring Supreme Court Ethics Code and Gift Limits
Senate Bill Would Require Supreme Court Ethics Code, Gift Limits, and Public Complaint Process
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.