Washington – U.S. Rep. Joel Hefley delivered a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives for the last time Thursday, sounding a familiar theme by challenging his colleagues to beef up ethics rules.
Hefley, a Republican from Colorado Springs, is retiring after 20 years in the House.
“This past Congress lost credibility by failing to adopt significant ethics reform,” said Hefley, a former chairman of the House ethics committee, in the prepared text of his speech. “The ethics and lobbying reform package proposed by the House leadership was so weak that I actually voted against it, believing it was designed to make people believe we were doing something when we really were not.”
Hefley’s ethics committee gained notice last year when it scolded then-House GOP leader Tom DeLay three times. Hefley later lost his chairmanship of the committee.
“The importance the new Congress places on ethics will define its character,” Hefley said Thursday. “Congress has the duty to protect the integrity of the institution.”
Hefley has said he wants to explore professional “opportunities.” Doug Lamborn will fill his 5th District seat in the next Congress.
