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Since 2008, the Office of Congressional Ethics has reviewed "allegations" (claims or statements that someone has done something wrong) of "ethical" (related to what is right or wrong) "misconduct" (bad behavior) against "elected" (selected by voting) members of the "House of Representatives" (one of two groups that makes laws in the United States). It might "act upon" (react to) allegations from the public, other Representatives, the "media" (newspaper, radio, magazine, television, or Internet reports), or "unnamed" (not identified) sources. It shares its "findings" (what it learns from its review or investigation) with the United States House Committee on Ethics.

The Committee on Ethics has an equal number of members from each of the two main political parties. Together, the committee members agree on the rules that "govern" (control) ethical behavior, such as whether elected Representatives should be allowed to accept gifts, or how they should "handle" (manage; deal with) "conflicts of interest" (situations where one's behavior is influenced by other professional or personal relationships). The committee "investigates" (conducts research into) whether Representatives have violated those rules and makes recommendations about whether and how that behavior should be punished.

In the most extreme cases of unethical behavior, punishment may include "reprimand," "censure," "fine," or "expulsion." "Reprimand" and "censure" are very similar and both involve publicly "criticizing" (saying that someone has done something wrong) the "offending" (doing something that is wrong) Representative. A "fine" requires the offending Representative to pay money as a punishment. The most serious punishment "expulsion," forces the representative to leave the House of Representatives.