U.S. House Republicans weaken ethics body as they return to CongressWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives agreed on Monday to weaken a nonpartisan ethics watchdog on the grounds it had grown too intrusive, prompting Democrats to charge they were scaling back independent oversight ahead of a new legislative session. As they returned to Washington following a holiday break, House Republicans voted in a closed-door meeting to place the Office of Congressional Ethics under the oversight of the House Ethics Committee, giving lawmakers greater control over an independent body charged with investigating their behavior. The measure was added to a broader rules package that is expected to pass when the House formally convenes on Tuesday. The ethics office was created in 2008 following several corruption scandals, but some lawmakers have charged in recent years that it has been too quick to investigate complaints lodged by outside partisan groups. The body will now have to deliver its reports to lawmakers, rather than releasing them directly to the public, according to a summary released by Republican Representative Bob Goodlatte. It will be renamed the Office of Congressional Complaint Review. “The OCE has a serious and important role in the House, and this amendment does nothing to impede their work,” said Goodlatte, who sponsored the measure. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, who created the ethics office while House speaker following complaints that lawmakers were unable to effectively police themselves, said Republicans were eliminating the only independent body charged with monitoring their actions. “Evidently, ethics are the first casualty of the new Republican Congress,” Pelosi said in a statement.  The move comes as Republicans who control both chambers of Congress are poised to repeal major portions of President Barack Obama’s health and environmental regulations and enact a conservative agenda once Republican President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. politicsNews
house republicans weaken ethics body return congresswashington reuters republicans house representatives agreed monday weaken nonpartisan ethics watchdog grounds grown intrusive prompting democrats charge scaling back independent oversight ahead new legislative session as returned washington following holiday break house republicans voted meeting place office congressional ethics oversight house ethics committee giving lawmakers greater control independent body charged investigating behavior the measure added broader rules package expected pass house formally convened tuesday the ethics office created following several corruption scandals lawmakers charged recent years quick investigate complaints lodged outside partisan groups the body deliver reports lawmakers rather releasing directly public according summary released republican representative bob goodlatte it renamed office congressional complaint review the one serious important role house amendment nothing impede work said goodlatte sponsored measure house democratic leader nancy pesos created ethics office house speaker following complaints lawmakers unable effectively police said republicans eliminating independent body charged monitoring actions evidently ethics first casualty new republican congress pesos said statement the move comes republicans control chambers congress poised repeal major portions president barack obama health environmental regulations enact conservative agenda republican donald trump takes office politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: U.S. House Republicans weaken ethics body as they return to CongressWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives agreed on Monday to weaken a nonpartisan ethics watchdog on the grounds it had grown too intrusive, prompting Democrats to charge they were scaling back independent oversight ahead of a new legislative session. As they returned to Washington following a holiday break, House Republicans voted in a closed-door meeting to place the Office of Congressional Ethics under the oversight of the House Ethics Committee, giving lawmakers greater control over an independent body charged with investigating their behavior. The measure was added to a broader rules package that is expected to pass when the House formally convenes on Tuesday. The ethics office was created in 2008 following several corruption scandals, but some lawmakers have charged in recent years that it has been too quick to investigate complaints lodged by outside partisan groups. The body will now have to deliver its reports to lawmakers, rather than releasing them directly to the public, according to a summary released by Republican Representative Bob Goodlatte. It will be renamed the Office of Congressional Complaint Review. “The OCE has a serious and important role in the House, and this amendment does nothing to impede their work,” said Goodlatte, who sponsored the measure. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, who created the ethics office while House speaker following complaints that lawmakers were unable to effectively police themselves, said Republicans were eliminating the only independent body charged with monitoring their actions. “Evidently, ethics are the first casualty of the new Republican Congress,” Pelosi said in a statement.  The move comes as Republicans who control both chambers of Congress are poised to repeal major portions of President Barack Obama’s health and environmental regulations and enact a conservative agenda once Republican President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: house republicans weaken ethics body return congresswashington reuters republicans house representatives agreed monday weaken nonpartisan ethics watchdog grounds grown intrusive prompting democrats charge scaling back independent oversight ahead new legislative session as returned washington following holiday break house republicans voted meeting place office congressional ethics oversight house ethics committee giving lawmakers greater control independent body charged investigating behavior the measure added broader rules package expected pass house formally convened tuesday the ethics office created following several corruption scandals lawmakers charged recent years quick investigate complaints lodged outside partisan groups the body deliver reports lawmakers rather releasing directly public according summary released republican representative bob goodlatte it renamed office congressional complaint review the one serious important role house amendment nothing impede work said goodlatte sponsored measure house democratic leader nancy pesos created ethics office house speaker following complaints lawmakers unable effectively police said republicans eliminating independent body charged monitoring actions evidently ethics first casualty new republican congress pesos said statement the move comes republicans control chambers congress poised repeal major portions president barack obama health environmental regulations enact conservative agenda republican donald trump takes office politicsnews