House Speaker Suggests Ethics Refresher

In a sign that Republican leaders are increasingly anxious about the image of the House after bribery convictions, Speaker J. Dennis Hastert raised the prospect on Wednesday of new ethics training for lawmakers.

House members and aides said Mr. Hastert broached the subject in a closed-door session with House Republicans while they discussed former Representative Randy Cunningham, the California Republican who pleaded guilty last week in an extensive corruption case that has stunned colleagues.

"The speaker wants members on both sides of the aisle to understand the nuances of House rules," Ron Bonjean, a spokesman for Mr. Hastert, said about the plan.

Mr. Hastert's proposal indicates that senior Republicans, who have previously dismissed criticism of House conduct and links to lobbyists as politically motivated, are taking the question more seriously.

FULL STORY