I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 839 

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 

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 

Mr. RUIZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Oversight and Government 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 2017 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 (2) MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.—Beginning in fis21 cal year 2017 and in each fiscal year thereafter, no 

22 funds from a Members’ Representational Allowance 

23 of a Member of the House of Representatives (in24 cluding a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the 

25 Congress) or a Senators’ Official Personnel and OfVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:11 Feb 09, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H839.IH H839

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1 fice Expense Account may be obligated or expended 

2 for purposes of procuring goods or services at any 

3 business owned or controlled by the Member of Con4 gress or any family member of such a Member. 

5 (b) PROHIBITION ON CONTRACTS.—No federal agen6 cy may enter into a contract with a business owned or 

7 controlled by a covered individual or any family member 

8 of such an individual. 

9 (c) DETERMINATION OF OWNERSHIP.—For purposes 

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

11 or controlled by a covered individual or any family member 

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

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

14 member of family or the Member of Congress or member 

15 of family (as the case may be)— 

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

17 similar governing body of the business; or 

18 (2) directly or indirectly owns or controls 51 

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

20 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

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

22 individual’’ means— 

23 (A) the President; 

24 (B) the Vice President; 


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1 (C) the head of any Executive department 

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

3 5, United States Code); and 

4 (D) any individual occupying a position 

5 designated by the President as a Cabinet-level 

6 position. 

7 (2) FAMILY MEMBER.—The term ‘‘family mem8 ber’’ means an individual with any of the following 

9 relationships to a covered individual or a Member of 

10 Congress: 

11 (A) Spouse, and parents thereof. 

12 (B) Sons and daughters, and spouses 

13 thereof. 

14 (C) Parents, and spouses thereof. 

15 (D) Brothers and sisters, and spouses 

16 thereof. 

17 (E) Grandparents and grandchildren, and 

18 spouses thereof. 

19 (F) Domestic partner and parents thereof, 

20 including domestic partners of any individual in 

21 paragraphs (2) through (5). 

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

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

24 102 of title 40, United States Code. 


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1 (4) MEMBER OF CONGRESS.—The term ‘‘Mem2 ber of Congress’’ has the meaning given that term 

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

4 does not include the Vice President. 

Æ 


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