Senate bill would force Supreme Court to adopt binding ethics code
In committeeS. 1814Latest action
Sponsor: Sheldon Whitehouse · Senator · RI
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Official title: Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act of 2025
119th Congress
Topics: Crime & justice
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govIn plain words
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S 1814 requires the Supreme Court to publish a binding ethics code within 180 days and creates an outside panel to review complaints against justices.
55-second read · 4 questions answered below
What does this do?
S 1814 would require the Supreme Court to create and publicly post a formal ethics code within 180 days of enactment. A panel of five randomly selected federal circuit court judges would review complaints against justices and could investigate, hold hearings, and issue public reports. The bill also tightens recusal rules, requiring justices to step aside if a case party gave them gifts, income, or travel in the past six years or spent significant money supporting their confirmation.
Who does it affect?
The bill directly affects Supreme Court justices and also applies to other federal judges, lawyers arguing before the Court, and outside groups filing amicus briefs. Ordinary Americans are affected indirectly as the bill targets transparency and public trust in the nation's highest court.
Why does it matter?
Unlike other federal judges, Supreme Court justices currently operate under no legally binding ethics rules, which the bill is designed to change. Outside filers of amicus briefs would be required to disclose who funded them, expanding the scope of financial transparency beyond the justices themselves.
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Where does it stand?
- IntroducedMay 20, 2025
- Senate committeeYou are here · May 20, 2025
- Senate vote
- House
- The president's desk
Right now: a Senate committee is reviewing it. If the House changes it, it goes back to the Senate before reaching the president.
Latest action: — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.