Press Releases

Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1059, a bill that makes permanent the United States Judicial Conference's authority to redact personal and sensitive information from financial disclosure reports filed by judges and judiciary branch employees, such as the filer’s home address or spouse’s workplace address.  Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released the following statement in response to the House’s action:

“The requirement that judges and judiciary branch employees disclose their personal finances promotes openness in the federal government, reduces the risk of corruption, and prevents the appearance of impropriety,” Conyers said.  “Unfortunately, the required disclosures can also include critical information about the filer’s residence, a spouse’s workplace, a child’s workplace, or a vacation home.  This information has the potential to place judges, judiciary branch employees, and their families at risk.”  

“This bill balances both ethics and safety concerns by giving the Judicial Conference of the United States permanent authority to redact certain sensitive information from public financial disclosures.  Having been granted this authority previously on a renewable basis, the Judicial Conference has a proven track record of using this authority sparingly and only in instances where the information could endanger the life of the filer.”

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