# Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act of 2022

This bill would require Supreme Court justices to follow the same ethics rules that apply to all other federal judges. Right now, the Supreme Court has its own ethics code that's less strict than the rules governing lower courts, and there's no real enforcement mechanism if justices break those rules. This bill would change that by making justices follow the Federal Courts' Code of Conduct, which includes rules about conflicts of interest, financial disclosures, and when judges should step aside from cases.

The bill also addresses recusal—the process where a judge removes themselves from a case because they have a personal stake in the outcome or a conflict of interest. Currently, Supreme Court justices decide for themselves whether to recuse, with no oversight or requirement to explain their reasoning publicly. This bill would require justices to publicly disclose their recusal decisions and provide written explanations for why they're stepping aside or staying on a case. It would also establish clearer standards for when recusal is appropriate, similar to what exists for other federal judges.

Additionally, the bill would increase transparency by requiring the Supreme Court to publish an annual ethics report and make justices' financial disclosures more accessible to the public. This means Americans could more easily see what investments justices hold and identify potential conflicts of interest. The goal is to bring the nation's highest court into line with ethics standards that already apply everywhere else in the federal judiciary, making the Court's decision-making process more transparent and helping ensure that justices don't hear cases where they have personal financial interests or other conflicts.

Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act of 2022

Whitehouse, Sheldon

Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act of 2022 This bill provides for the establishment of a code of conduct for Supreme Court Justices, judges of the courts of appeals, judges of the district courts, and judges of the Court of International Trade.