Public Service Spending Integrity Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1626 To prevent the enrichment of certain Government officers and employees or their families through Federal funds or contracting, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 7, 2019 Mr. RUIZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speak- er, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the ju- risdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To prevent the enrichment of certain Government officers and employees or their families through Federal funds or contracting, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS. 3 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 4 ‘‘Public Service Spending Integrity Act’’. 5 (b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 6 (1) Americans’ trust in government is essential 7 to our democracy. 8 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:49 Mar 21, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1626.IH H1626 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HR 1626 IH (2) Allowing public service by an elected official 1 to seemingly converge with their own personal gain 2 is corrosive to Americans’ faith in government. 3 (3) Members of Congress and the executive 4 branch have substantial power and discretion over 5 the disbursement of public funds, and with that 6 comes the obligation to create a barrier between 7 public service and personal gain. 8 SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS AND CON- 9 TRACTING AT BUSINESSES OWNED BY CER- 10 TAIN GOVERNMENT OFFICERS AND EMPLOY- 11 EES. 12 (a) LIMITATION ON FEDERAL FUNDS.— 13 (1) PRESIDENT; VICE PRESIDENT; CABINET.— 14 Beginning in fiscal year 2020 and in each fiscal year 15 thereafter, no Federal funds may be obligated or ex- 16 pended for purposes of procuring goods or services 17 at any business owned or controlled by a covered in- 18 dividual or any family member of such an individual, 19 unless such obligation or expenditure of funds is 20 necessary for the security of a covered individual or 21 family member. 22 (2) MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.—Beginning in fis- 23 cal year 2020 and in each fiscal year thereafter, no 24 funds from a Members’ Representational Allowance 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:49 Mar 21, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1626.IH H1626 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HR 1626 IH of a Member of the House of Representatives (in- 1 cluding a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the 2 Congress) or a Senators’ Official Personnel and Of- 3 fice Expense Account may be obligated or expended 4 for purposes of procuring goods or services at any 5 business owned or controlled by the Member of Con- 6 gress or any family member of such a Member, un- 7 less such obligation or expenditure of funds is nec- 8 essary for the security of a Member or family mem- 9 ber of a Member. 10 (b) PROHIBITION ON CONTRACTS.—No federal agen- 11 cy may enter into a contract with a business owned or 12 controlled by a covered individual or any family member 13 of such an individual. 14 (c) DETERMINATION OF OWNERSHIP.—For purposes 15 of this section, a business shall be deemed to be owned 16 or controlled by a covered individual or any family member 17 of such an individual, or a Member of Congress or a family 18 member of such a Member, if the covered individual or 19 member of family or the Member of Congress or member 20 of family (as the case may be)— 21 (1) is a member of the board of directors or 22 similar governing body of the business; or 23 (2) directly or indirectly owns or controls 51 24 percent or more of the voting shares of the business. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:49 Mar 21, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1626.IH H1626 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 4 •HR 1626 IH (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 1 (1) COVERED INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘‘covered 2 individual’’ means— 3 (A) the President; 4 (B) the Vice President; 5 (C) the head of any Executive department 6 (as that term is defined in section 101 of title 7 5, United States Code); and 8 (D) any individual occupying a position 9 designated by the President as a Cabinet-level 10 position. 11 (2) FAMILY MEMBER.—The term ‘‘family mem- 12 ber’’ means an individual with any of the following 13 relationships to a covered individual or a Member of 14 Congress: 15 (A) Spouse, and parents thereof. 16 (B) Sons and daughters, and spouses 17 thereof. 18 (C) Parents, and spouses thereof. 19 (D) Brothers and sisters, and spouses 20 thereof. 21 (E) Grandparents and grandchildren, and 22 spouses thereof. 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:49 Mar 21, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1626.IH H1626 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 5 •HR 1626 IH (F) Domestic partner and parents thereof, 1 including domestic partners of any individual in 2 paragraphs (2) through (5). 3 (3) FEDERAL AGENCY.—The term ‘‘federal 4 agency’’ has the meaning given that term in section 5 102 of title 40, United States Code. 6 (4) MEMBER OF CONGRESS.—The term ‘‘Mem- 7 ber of Congress’’ has the meaning given that term 8 in section 2106 of title 5, United States Code, but 9 does not include the Vice President. 10 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:49 Mar 21, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1626.IH H1626 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS