Public Service Integrity Act

To amend title 18, United States Code, to establish a uniform 5-year post-employment ban on all lobbying by former Members of Congress, to establish a uniform 2-year post-employment ban on all lobbying by former officers and employees of Congress, to lower the income threshold for applying such ban to former officers and employees of Congress, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Public Service Integrity Act 2. Restrictions on lobbying by former Members of Congress (a) 5-Year post-Employment ban on all lobbying (1) Former Senators Subparagraph (A) of section 207(e)(1) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking within 2 years after that person leaves office within 5 years after that person leaves office (2) Former Members of the House of Representatives Paragraph (1) of section 207(e) of such title is amended by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the following: (B) Members of the House of Representatives Any person who is a Member of the House of Representatives and who, within 5 years after that person leaves office, knowingly makes, with the intent to influence, any communication to or appearance before any Member, officer, or employee of either House of Congress and any employee of any other legislative office of the Congress, on behalf of any other person (except the United States) in connection with any matter on which such former Member seeks action by a Member, officer, or employee of either House of Congress, in his or her official capacity, shall be punished as provided in section 216 of this title. (C) Officers of the House of Representatives Any person who is an elected officer of the House of Representatives and who, within 1 year after that person leaves office, knowingly makes, with the intent to influence, any communication to or appearance before any Member, officer, or employee of the House of Representatives, on behalf of any other person (except the United States) in connection with any matter on which such former elected officer seeks action by a Member, officer, or employee of either House of Congress, in his or her official capacity, shall be punished as provided in section 216 of this title. . (b) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to any individual who, on or after the date of the enactment of this Act, leaves an office to which section 207(e)(1) of title 18, United States Code, applies. 3. Restrictions on lobbying by former officers and employees of Congress (a) 2-Year post-Employment ban on all lobbying (1) Former officers of the House of Representatives Subparagraph (C) of section 207(e)(1) of title 18, United States Code, as amended by section 2(a)(2), is amended by striking within 1 year within 2 years (2) Former officers and staff of the Senate Paragraph (2) of section 207(e) of such title is amended by striking within 1 year within 2 years (3) Former personal staff of Members of the House of Representatives Paragraph (3)(A) of section 207(e) of such title is amended by striking within 1 year within 2 years (4) Former committee staff of House of Representatives Paragraph (4) of section 207(e) of such title is amended by striking within 1 year within 2 years (5) Former leadership staff of House of Representatives Paragraph (5)(A) of section 207(e) of such title is amended by striking within 1 year within 2 years (6) Former staff of other legislative offices of Congress Paragraph (6)(A) of section 207(e) of such title is amended by striking within 1 year within 2 years (b) Lowering income threshold for application of restrictions Paragraph (7)(A) of section 207(e) of such title is amended by striking 75 percent of the basic rate of pay 50 percent of the basic rate of pay (c) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to any individual who, on or after the date of the enactment of this Act, leaves a position to which section 207(e) of title 18, United States Code, applies.

Summary: Public Service Integrity Act This bill expands the post-employment ban on lobbying by former Senators, former Members of the House of Representatives, and certain former congressional officers and employees. Currently, former Senators are banned from lobbying for two years, while former Representatives are banned for one year. The bill increases the ban to five years. Additionally, current law bans lobbying by former House and Senate officers and staff of Member offices, committees, and other legislative offices for one year. The bill increases the ban to two years. The bill also makes more former congressional employees subject to the post-employment lobbying ban by lowering the income threshold at which the ban applies. Currently, the ban applies to any employee who, while employed by a Member of Congress, earned more than 75% of that Member's basic rate of pay. The bill lowers that threshold to 50% of the employing Member's rate of pay.