I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8111 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to increase the penalties for violating 
the Hatch Act, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 25, 2020 
Mr. QUIGLEY (for himself, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. NORTON, and Ms. SCHA-
KOWSKY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Oversight and Reform 
A BILL 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to increase the 
penalties for violating the Hatch Act, 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; FINDINGS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Reducing Nefarious Crimes Act’’ or the ‘‘RNC Act’’. 
(b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (‘‘OSC’’) 
found that Counselor to the President Kellyanne 
Conway violated the Hatch Act on numerous occa-
sions by disparaging Democratic candidates for 
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President in 2019, and in 2018 by advocating for 
and against candidates in the 2017 special election 
for Senate in Alabama. 
(2) Ambassador Nikki Haley, then serving as 
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, retweeted 
an endorsement by President Trump for a congres-
sional candidate in 2017. 
(3) In 2019, the OSC determined that former 
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke violated the 
Hatch Act by posting a picture on Twitter that 
showed him in socks adorned with Trump campaign 
insignia. 
(4) In 2018, the OSC found six White House 
staff, Madeline Westerhout, Alyssa Farah, Jacob 
Wood, Raj Shah, Jessica Ditto, and Helen Aguirre 
Ferre, in violation of the Hatch Act for social media 
posts on their official Twitter accounts. 
(5) In 2017, the OSC determined that White 
House Director of Social Media Dan Scavino vio-
lated the Hatch Act when he used Twitter to call for 
the defeat of a then-sitting Republican Member of 
the House. 
(6) Jared Kushner spoke at length during a tel-
evision interview on how the impeachment trial bene-
fitted President Trump politically. 
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(7) In 2019, Ivanka Trump used her official 
Twitter account to post political content relating to 
President Trump’s reelection campaign and Ms. 
Trump may have violated the Standard of Conduct 
that prevents White House employees to endorse any 
product. 
(8) White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows 
and Senior Advisor to the President Stephen Miller 
criticized then-presumptive Democratic nominee for 
President, Joe Biden, during interviews while in 
their official capacity as White House staff. 
(9) As President, Donald J. Trump has given 
numerous political speeches in which he disparages 
political opponents from the White House. 
(10) The President, Donald J. Trump, planned 
to give his acceptance speech for the Republican 
Nomination for President at the Republican Na-
tional Convention on the White House grounds using 
Federal resources, thereby compelling Government 
employees to violate the Hatch Act on his behalf. 
SEC. 2. INCREASE IN HATCH ACT PENALTIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 7326 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘5 years’’ and 
inserting ‘‘7 years’’; and 
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(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘$1,000’’ and 
inserting ‘‘$50,000’’. 
(b) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall apply to any violation of section 7323 or 
7324 of title 5, United States Code, occurring on or after 
the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 3. WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS COVERED UNDER HATCH 
ACT. 
Section 7324(a)(2) of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after ‘‘building’’ the following: ‘‘(in-
cluding the White House and surrounding grounds, in-
cluding the Rose Garden, but not including the executive 
residence)’’. 
Æ 
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