I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1028 
To reform certain ethics rules of the Federal Government, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 6, 2019 
Ms. SPEIER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committees on House 
Administration, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently de-
termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To reform certain ethics rules of the Federal Government, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Restoring Integrity, 
Governance, Honesty, and Transparency Act of 2019’’ or 
the ‘‘RIGHT Act of 2019’’. 
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SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE ETHICS IN GOVERNMENT 
ACT OF 1978. 
(a) REFERENCES.—Except as otherwise expressly 
provided, whenever in this section an amendment or repeal 
is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, 
a section or other provision, the reference shall be consid-
ered to be made to a section or other provision of the Eth-
ics in Government Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App 101 et seq.). 
(b) DISCLOSURE OF TAX RETURNS OF CANDIDATES 
FOR
THE OFFICE
OF PRESIDENT
AND VICE PRESI-
DENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 102 is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(j)(1) Any report filed pursuant to section 101(c) 
by an individual who is a candidate for the office of Presi-
dent or Vice President shall include the individual’s return 
of Federal income tax for the taxable year ending in or 
with the applicable calendar year covered by such report 
and such returns for the previous nineteen taxable years. 
‘‘(2) If any person covered by paragraph (1) files the 
return for such taxable year with the Internal Revenue 
Service after the due date for such report, such return 
shall be submitted (in the same manner as such a report) 
not later than 30 days after such return was so filed. 
‘‘(3)(A) The Secretary of the Treasury, in consulta-
tion with the Director of the Office of Government Ethics, 
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may issue regulations authorizing the redaction of per-
sonal information as the Secretary deems necessary to pre-
vent identity theft or physical danger from disclosure of 
tax returns required under subsection (a). 
‘‘(B) Any redaction made in accordance with the reg-
ulations issued under subparagraph (A) shall be the sole 
and exclusive responsibility of the individual who filed the 
return, except that the Director may order the filer to re-
move any redaction the Director determines to be unau-
thorized.’’. 
(2) DISCLOSURE PERMITTED.—Section 6103(i) 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(9) DISCLOSURE
OF
TAX
RETURNS
UNDER 
THE ETHICS IN GOVERNMENT ACT OF 1978.—The 
Director of the Office of Government Ethics may 
publically disclose returns described in section 102(j) 
of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (Public 
Law 95–521; 5 U.S.C. App. 102(j)) to the extent 
such returns are required to be made available pur-
suant to such section.’’. 
(3) APPLICATION.—The amendment made by— 
(A) paragraph (1) shall apply to any indi-
vidual who becomes a candidate for the office, 
or assumes the office, of President or Vice 
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President, after the date of enactment of this 
Act; and 
(B) paragraph (2) shall apply to disclo-
sures made after the date of the enactment of 
this Act. 
(c) DISCLOSURE OF DONATIONS TO LEGAL DEFENSE 
FUNDS.—Section 102 is further amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(k)(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and 
(3), each report filed pursuant to section 101 (d) and (e) 
shall include the following information regarding each con-
tribution or reimbursement made, during the preceding 
calendar year, by any source for the purpose of paying 
on behalf of the reporting individual, or for the purpose 
of reimbursing the reporting individual or any other per-
son for the payment of, a fee for legal services or a related 
expense incurred at the time when the reporting individual 
was an officer or employee of the Federal Government: 
‘‘(A) The identity of the source of the contribu-
tion or reimbursement, including: 
‘‘(i) a trust or other financial arrangement; 
‘‘(ii) a person who made the contribution 
or reimbursement on behalf of another; or 
‘‘(iii) any other source. 
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‘‘(B) The identity of each person who provided 
the source with cash or a thing of value to be ap-
plied in support of the contribution or reimburse-
ment. 
‘‘(C) The value of the contribution or reim-
bursement. 
‘‘(D) The date of the contribution or reimburse-
ment. 
‘‘(E) If the contribution or reimbursement was 
a thing of value other than cash, a brief description 
of the thing of value. 
‘‘(2) The disclosure requirement pursuant to para-
graph (1) shall apply only to contributions and reimburse-
ments aggregating more than the minimal value as estab-
lished by section 7342(a)(5) of title 5, United States Code, 
or $250, whichever is greater, made during the preceding 
calendar year. 
‘‘(3) The disclosure requirement pursuant to para-
graph (1) shall not apply to— 
‘‘(A) a contribution or reimbursement from a 
relative of the reporting individual, unless the rel-
ative received, or has an arrangement to receive, 
cash or a thing of value to be applied in support of 
the contribution or reimbursement; 
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‘‘(B) a contribution or reimbursement made in 
connection with a fee for legal services or an expense 
that is unrelated to the reporting individual’s em-
ployment; or 
‘‘(C) a reduction or waiver of a fee for legal 
services by the provider of the services, unless the 
provider has received, or has an arrangement to re-
ceive, cash or a thing of value to be applied in sup-
port of the reduction or waiver. 
‘‘(4) Nothing in paragraph (3) shall be construed to 
relieve a reporting individual of the disclosure requirement 
set forth at subsection (a)(2).’’. 
(d) INCREASE IN PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO FILE 
OR
FILING
FALSE
REPORTS.—Section 104(a)(1) is 
amended 
by 
striking 
‘‘$50,000’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$200,000’’. 
(e) CLARIFICATION OF APPLICATION TO ENTIRE EX-
ECUTIVE BRANCH.—Title IV is amended— 
(1) in section 401, by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(d) In this title, the term ‘executive agency’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 105 of title 5, United 
States Code, and includes the United States Postal Serv-
ice, the Postal Regulatory Commission, the Executive Of-
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fice of the President, the Office of the Vice President, and 
the White House.’’; and 
(2) in section 402(a), by striking ‘‘, as defined 
in section 105 of title 5, United States Code.’’. 
(f) RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DIRECTOR REGARDING 
GIFTS.—Section 402(b) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (14), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in paragraph (15), by striking the period 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(16) make rules, after consultation with the 
Attorney General, for the requirements pertaining to 
acceptance of gifts by executive branch employees 
and procedures for compliance with such require-
ments.’’. 
(g) AUTHORITY REGARDING REGULATIONS.—Sec-
tion 402 is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘, in consulta-
tion with the Office of Personnel Management,’’; 
and 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraphs (1), (2), and (12), by 
striking ‘‘and the Office of Personnel Manage-
ment’’ in each instance; and 
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(B) in paragraph (15), by striking ‘‘in con-
sultation with the Office of Personnel Manage-
ment,’’. 
(h) LIMITATION ON LEGAL DEFENSE FUNDS.— 
(1) LEGAL DEFENSE FUNDS.— 
(A) Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Director of 
the Office of Government Ethics shall issue 
final regulations regarding the acceptance by 
any officer or employee of the executive branch 
(not including the President or Vice President) 
of reimbursement for, or payment of, legal fees 
incurred in connection with the employee’s serv-
ice in the executive branch or in connection 
with the employee’s participation in, assistance 
to, or association with, a presidential campaign 
or president-elect transition team. 
(B) Such regulations shall prohibit any ex-
ecutive branch officer or employee covered by 
subparagraph (A) from receiving any reim-
bursement or payment of fees as described in 
such subparagraph, except that the regulations 
may authorize, to the extent otherwise per-
mitted by applicable law and regulation (includ-
ing regulations under paragraph (16) of section 
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402(b) of the Ethics in Government Act of 
1978, as added by subsection (f)(3)), such a re-
imbursement or payment by a relative of the of-
ficer or employee or by a legal expense fund ap-
proved (in writing) by the Director that— 
(i) exists solely to reimburse or pay 
the legal fees of one individual and owes 
that individual an exclusive fiduciary duty, 
with all unused funds going to charity; 
(ii) makes comprehensive disclosure, 
as defined by the Director and including 
the disclosures required under section 
102(f) of the Ethics in Government Act of 
1978 (as added by subsection (c)), of all 
receipts and distributions by the fund; and 
(iii) complies with all procedural and 
substantive 
requirements 
the 
Director 
deems necessary for the protection of the 
public’s trust in Government and to pre-
vent the appearance of impropriety. 
SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE. 
(a) ASSESSMENT
OF PENALTIES
FOR VIOLATING 
ANTI-NEPOTISM STATUTE.—Section 3110 of title 5, 
United States Code, is amended as follows: 
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(1) In subsection (a)(1)(A), by inserting before 
the semicolon the following: ‘‘, including the White 
House and the Executive Office of the President’’. 
(2) By adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f)(1) Any individual who knowingly is appointed or 
employed in violation of this section, and the public official 
who is a relative of such individual and who appoints, em-
ploys, or advocated for appointment or employment (as 
the case may be) of such individual, shall each be subject 
to a fine of $1,000 for each day the individual is so ap-
pointed or employed, except that— 
‘‘(A) in the case of a career employee, the max-
imum penalty shall not exceed the employee’s pay 
for the period of the violation; and 
‘‘(B) in the case of a noncareer employee, there 
shall be no limit on the liability under this sub-
section. 
‘‘(2) Any individual who is employed in violation of 
this section shall not be eligible for access to classified in-
formation.’’. 
(b) HATCH ACT AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 7326 of title 5, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘An employee’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘(a) An employee’’; and 
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(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b)(1) If the Office of Special Counsel determines 
that an employee of the White House or the Executive 
Office of the President has violated section 7323 or 7324, 
the Special Counsel shall submit a report to the President. 
The report shall include the recommended disciplinary ac-
tion to be taken against the employee. 
‘‘(2)(A) On the date a report is received under para-
graph (1), the President shall— 
‘‘(i) carry out the proposed disciplinary action 
contained in that report against the applicable em-
ployee; or 
‘‘(ii) decline to carry out the proposed action. 
‘‘(B) If the President declines to carry out the pro-
posed action pursuant to subparagraph (A)(ii), not later 
than 30 days after receiving the report the President shall 
submit (in writing) notification to the Special Counsel and 
the chair and ranking member of the Committee on Over-
sight and Reform of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Af-
fairs of the Senate, including a detailed explanation of why 
the action was not taken. 
‘‘(C) The Special Counsel shall publish the notifica-
tion received under subparagraph (B) on the Office’s pub-
lic Internet website’’. 
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(2) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by 
paragraph (1) shall apply to any violation of section 
7323 or 7324 of title 5, United States Code, by an 
employee of the White House or the Executive Office 
of the President occurring after the date of enact-
ment of this Act. 
SEC. 4. DISCLOSURE OF TRAVEL BY SENIOR FEDERAL OF-
FICIALS. 
(a) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 30 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of Gen-
eral Services shall promulgate regulations to modify the 
requirements of section 301–70.907 of title 41, Code of 
Federal Regulations, to require that the report required 
under such section— 
(1) be submitted on a quarterly basis; and 
(2) include, with respect to any instance of 
travel of a senior Federal official or non-Federal 
traveler— 
(A) an explanation of the decision to use a 
Government aircraft and the type of aircraft 
used; and 
(B) the estimated cost to the Government. 
(b) PUBLICATION.—The Administrator shall publish 
any report submitted under such section on the General 
Services Administration’s public Internet website. 
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SEC. 5. LIMITATION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR EX-
PENSES INCURRED AT PROPERTY OWNED BY 
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In fiscal year 2018 and each fiscal 
year thereafter, no Federal funds may be obligated or ex-
pended to pay for an expense incurred at a property owned 
or operated by any covered individual or an immediate 
family member of such individual if the payment of the 
expense would result in a net financial benefit for such 
individual or an immediate family member of such indi-
vidual, or any trust or organization in which the individual 
or the immediate family member has a financial interest. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘covered individual’’ means— 
(A) the President; 
(B) the Vice President; and 
(C) any Federal employee; 
(2) the term ‘‘Federal employee’’ has the mean-
ing given the term ‘‘employee’’ in section 2105 of 
title 5, United States Code, and includes any officer 
or employee of the United States Postal Service, the 
Postal Regulatory Commission, the Executive Office 
of the President, or the White House; and 
(3) the term ‘‘immediate family member’’, with 
respect to a covered individual, means— 
(A) the spouse of such individual; or 
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(B) any adult or minor child of such indi-
vidual. 
SEC. 6. PROHIBITION ON DONATIONS BY GOVERNMENT 
CONTRACTORS TO INAUGURAL COMMITTEES. 
Section 317 of the Federal Election Campaign Act 
of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30119) is amended— 
(1) by amending the heading to read as follows: 
‘‘CONTRIBUTIONS AND OTHER DONATIONS BY GOV-
ERNMENT CONTRACTORS’’; 
(2) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘, or di-
rectly or indirectly to make a donation of 
money or other thing of value, or to promise ex-
pressly or impliedly to make any such donation 
to an Inaugural Committee’’ after ‘‘political 
purpose or use’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘or do-
nation’’ after ‘‘contribution’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(d) For purposes of this section, the term ‘Inaugural 
Committee’ has the meaning given it by section 501 of 
title 36, United States Code.’’. 
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SEC. 7. DISCLOSURE OF AND PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN 
DONATIONS TO INAUGURAL COMMITTEE. 
Section 510(c) of title 36, United States Code is 
amended by striking the period at the end and inserting 
‘‘or from a government contractor (as described in section 
317(a)(1) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 30119(a)(1)).’’. 
Æ 
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