“Congress has voted to keep intact an independent office that polices the behavior of House members. Lawmakers approved the Office of Congressional Ethics as part of a package of rules that will govern the new Congress, which convened Thursday. The terms of four of the six members of the office’s board were set to expire this week — raising concerns among congressional watchdogs that the office would lose its investigative powers. The new rules drop term limits for board members, allowing top congressional leaders to reappoint current members.”
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/01/03/house-keeps-ethics-panel-alive/1807753/