What legislative action was taken in the late 19th century to establish standards for public service and promote ethical governance?

The choice of civil service reform is correct because it refers to a series of legislative measures taken to professionalize and regulate the public service sector, eliminating the practice of patronage and ensuring that government employees are hired and promoted based on merit rather than political connections. The Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883 was a significant piece of legislation in this movement, establishing a merit-based system for certain federal positions and creating the Civil Service Commission to oversee the implementation of the new standards. This reform aimed to promote ethical governance by decreasing corruption and increasing efficiency within the government.

Other options point to important reforms and acts but focus on different aspects of governance and society. The Taft-Hartley Act dealt with labor relations and management practices in the 1940s, the New Deal encompassed a wide range of economic recovery initiatives during the Great Depression in the 1930s, and the Voting Rights Act focused on eliminating barriers to voting for African Americans in the 1960s. None of these directly addressed the underlying issues of public service and ethical governance in the same comprehensive manner as civil service reform did during the late 19th century.