The House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct has established procedures for House offices to certify by Jan. 31 that every staff member has received at least one hour of training on new ethics rules. [IMGCAP(1)]

In a circular issued Monday, the committee explains that every Member will be required to submit by that date a letter certifying that all of their staff have received the ethics training, and to include certification forms for each employee. Any employee who has not completed the training must be cited by name and the Member must provide an explanation for the failure to comply.

For administrative offices such as the Parliamentarian, a senior staffer in the office must sign the certification letter.

The ethics panel also has made available an ethics training video for district staff members who are unable to travel to Washington, D.C., to receive training in person.

Across the Capitol, the Senate Ethics Committee announced on Nov. 28 that it has “scheduled regular live training sessions at least twice a week” through Feb. 25. As in the House, each Senate office must certify that its Senator and staff have completed training.

— Paul Singer