I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3486 

To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit corrupt foreign influence 

over the President, the Vice President, and their immediate family members, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 25, 2019 

Mr. SWALWELL of California introduced the following bill; which was referred 

to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on 

Oversight and Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit corrupt 

foreign influence over the President, the Vice President, 

and their immediate family members, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Prevent Corrupting 

5 Foreign Influence Act’’. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
2 

•HR 3486 IH

1 SEC. 2. FOREIGN INFLUENCE OVER THE PRESIDENT AND 

2 VICE PRESIDENT. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 11 of title 18, United 

4 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol5 lowing: 

6 ‘‘§ 227A. Foreign influence over the President and 

7 Vice President 

8 ‘‘(a) PROHIBITION.—Except as provided in sub9 section (b), whoever, being a covered person or covered 

10 entity, knowingly— 

11 ‘‘(1) accepts anything of value from a foreign 

12 state or foreign entity; or 

13 ‘‘(2) receives anything of value from a foreign 

14 state or foreign entity, 

15 shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 

16 5 years, or both. 

17 ‘‘(b) EXCEPTIONS.—Subsection (a) shall not apply— 

18 ‘‘(1) in the case of any investment by a foreign 

19 state or entity in a mutual fund, which includes a 

20 covered entity in its portfolio; 

21 ‘‘(2) in the case of any investment by a foreign 

22 state or entity in an asset held in a blind trust on 

23 behalf of a covered person; 

24 ‘‘(3) in the case that the thing accepted or re25 ceived is of minimal value, and any other thing or 

26 things accepted or received by such covered person 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
3 

•HR 3486 IH

1 or covered entity from such foreign state or foreign 

2 entity during that calendar year do not exceed mini3 mal value; or 

4 ‘‘(4) in any case in which the covered person 

5 acted in accordance with section 7342 of title 5 or 

6 the Mutual Education and Cultural Exchange Act of 

7 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2451 et seq.). 

8 ‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

9 ‘‘(1) The term ‘covered person’ means the 

10 President, Vice President, and their immediate fam11 ily members. 

12 ‘‘(2) The term ‘covered entity’ means any entity 

13 in which a covered person has not less than a 50 

14 percent ownership interest. 

15 ‘‘(3) The term ‘immediate family member’ 

16 means, with respect to the President or Vice Presi17 dent, a parent, parent-in-law, spouse, child, or sib18 ling of the President or Vice President. 

19 ‘‘(4) The term ‘foreign entity’ means any entity 

20 in which a foreign state has not less than a 50 per21 cent ownership interest. 

22 ‘‘(5) The term ‘minimal value’ has the meaning 

23 given that term in section 7342(a)(5) of title 5.’’. 

24 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

25 for chapter 11 of title 18, United States Code, is amended 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
4 

•HR 3486 IH

1 by inserting after the item related to section 227 the fol2 lowing: 

‘‘227A. Foreign influence over the President and Vice President.’’. 

3 SEC. 3. RECEIPT AND DISPOSITION OF FOREIGN GIFTS AND 

4 DECORATIONS. 

5 Section 7342(a)(1) of title 5, United States Code, is 

6 amended— 

7 (1) in subparagraph (F), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

8 the end; and 

9 (2) by inserting after subparagraph (G) the fol10 lowing: 

11 ‘‘(H) a parent, parent-in-law, child, or sib12 ling of the President or Vice President.’’. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS