U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, has been appointed to the Senate Ethics Committee.

The appointment was made by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

"This appointment is a great honor and even greater responsibility," said Brown. "I will work with my colleagues to ensure that the Senate has the highest standards of accountability and oversight."

The Select Committee on Ethics is comprised of six senators divided evenly by party. The committee is tasked with ensuring ethical behavior among Senators and compliance with the U.S. Senate Code of Conduct.

"Sherrod Brown is not only a good Senator, he is a good man who consistently demonstrates sound judgment," Reid said. "His leadership on the Ethics Committee will benefit the entire Senate, and I wish him all the best in this new role."

With all the talk during last year's campaign season about cleaning up corruption in Washington, let's see what kind of impact Brown will have on this committee and what impact the committee as a whole will have.

-- John Arthur Hutchison