Republicans in the US House of Representatives have voted to weaken the body that investigates claims of misconduct against members of Congress. Under the change, the independent Office of Congressional Ethics will come under the control of the House Ethics Committee. Republican leaders in the House had opposed the change. The newly elected Congress meets later and the full House will vote on the proposed new rules. Democrats reacted angrily to the vote. Democratic leader in the House, Nancy Pelosi, said the amendment to the rules will effectively destroy the Office of Congressional Ethics, OCE.<br/><br/>After their unexpected success in November's elections, Republicans will control both houses in the new session of the US Congress. President-elect Donald Trump repeatedly called for voters to drain the swamp of Washington politics, claiming the federal government was corrupt and dysfunctional. The House of Representatives is the Lower House of the US Congress and all its 435 members are elected every two years.