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

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; FINDINGS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Public Service Spending Integrity Act’’. 

6 (b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

7 (1) Americans’ trust in government is essential 

8 to our democracy. 


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1 (2) Allowing public service by an elected official 

2 to seemingly converge with their own personal gain 

3 is corrosive to Americans’ faith in government. 

4 (3) Members of Congress and the executive 

5 branch have substantial power and discretion over 

6 the disbursement of public funds, and with that 

7 comes the obligation to create a barrier between 

8 public service and personal gain. 

9 SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS AND CON10 TRACTING AT BUSINESSES OWNED BY CER11 TAIN GOVERNMENT OFFICERS AND EMPLOY12 EES. 

13 (a) LIMITATION ON FEDERAL FUNDS.— 

14 (1) PRESIDENT; VICE PRESIDENT; CABINET.— 

15 Beginning in fiscal year 2020 and in each fiscal year 

16 thereafter, no Federal funds may be obligated or ex17 pended for purposes of procuring goods or services 

18 at any business owned or controlled by a covered in19 dividual or any family member of such an individual, 

20 unless such obligation or expenditure of funds is 

21 necessary for the security of a covered individual or 

22 family member. 

23 (2) MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.—Beginning in fis24 cal year 2020 and in each fiscal year thereafter, no 

25 funds from a Members’ Representational Allowance 


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1 of a Member of the House of Representatives (in2 cluding a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the 

3 Congress) or a Senators’ Official Personnel and Of4 fice Expense Account may be obligated or expended 

5 for purposes of procuring goods or services at any 

6 business owned or controlled by the Member of Con7 gress or any family member of such a Member, un8 less such obligation or expenditure of funds is nec9 essary for the security of a Member or family mem10 ber of a Member. 

11 (b) PROHIBITION ON CONTRACTS.—No federal agen12 cy may enter into a contract with a business owned or 

13 controlled by a covered individual or any family member 

14 of such an individual. 

15 (c) DETERMINATION OF OWNERSHIP.—For purposes 

16 of this section, a business shall be deemed to be owned 

17 or controlled by a covered individual or any family member 

18 of such an individual, or a Member of Congress or a family 

19 member of such a Member, if the covered individual or 

20 member of family or the Member of Congress or member 

21 of family (as the case may be)— 

22 (1) is a member of the board of directors or 

23 similar governing body of the business; or 

24 (2) directly or indirectly owns or controls 51 

25 percent or more of the voting shares of the business. 


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1 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

2 (1) COVERED INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘‘covered 

3 individual’’ means— 

4 (A) the President; 

5 (B) the Vice President; 

6 (C) the head of any Executive department 

7 (as that term is defined in section 101 of title 

8 5, United States Code); and 

9 (D) any individual occupying a position 

10 designated by the President as a Cabinet-level 

11 position. 

12 (2) FAMILY MEMBER.—The term ‘‘family mem13 ber’’ means an individual with any of the following 

14 relationships to a covered individual or a Member of 

15 Congress: 

16 (A) Spouse, and parents thereof. 

17 (B) Sons and daughters, and spouses 

18 thereof. 

19 (C) Parents, and spouses thereof. 

20 (D) Brothers and sisters, and spouses 

21 thereof. 

22 (E) Grandparents and grandchildren, and 

23 spouses thereof. 


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1 (F) Domestic partner and parents thereof, 

2 including domestic partners of any individual in 

3 paragraphs (2) through (5). 

4 (3) FEDERAL AGENCY.—The term ‘‘federal 

5 agency’’ has the meaning given that term in section 

6 102 of title 40, United States Code. 

7 (4) MEMBER OF CONGRESS.—The term ‘‘Mem8 ber of Congress’’ has the meaning given that term 

9 in section 2106 of title 5, United States Code, but 

10 does not include the Vice President. 

Æ 


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