In the first 100 hours of the current Congress, the House enacted a package of ethics and lobbying reforms that included banning members of Congress from receiving gifts and free meals and travel from lobbyists. About a month later, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) tapped Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA) to head up a bipartisan task force to explore whether to create an independent office to enforce House ethics rules. Capuano's findings are due May 1, but expected later that month. Meanwhile, freshman House member Baron Hill (D-IN) and ten other Democratic members introduced a bill shortly before recess, the "House Ethics Commission Establishment Act of 2007," calling for an independent commission comprised of 12 former House members. Key features of the bill:

• six former Democratic members would be appointed by the House GOP leader; six Republican counterparts would be appointed by the Democratic leader
• registered lobbyists (within the last four years) would be ineligible to serve
• a majority vote would be required for any disciplinary actions recommended by the commission to take effect

A tie vote, not unforseeable on a 6-6 bipartisan panel, would defeat any recommendation. Rep. Hill did not consult Capuano before introducing the bill, which could be seen to prejudge the findings of Capuano's task force.