The Office of Government Ethics sets and oversees the ethics rules for the federal executive branch, including standards of conduct, financial disclosure, and conflict-of-interest requirements. It supervises the ethics programs of roughly 130 executive branch agencies and the White House, covering about 2.7 million employees. OGE writes regulations and guidance but relies on agencies to apply them; it does not prosecute violations.
Created by Congress under the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-521, title IV, sec. 401, 92 Stat. 1862 (Oct. 26, 1978); recodified at 5 U.S.C. ch. 131, subch. II, secs. 13121-13126 (Pub. L. 117-286, Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4196)), it acts within the authority that statute grants. Its actions are subject to judicial review and to congressional oversight and funding.
