White House Ethics Transparency Act of 2021

Bill: 117-hr-1461
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
Introduced: 2021-03-01
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Federal officials

Government ethics and transparency, public corruption

Government information and archives

Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
Latest action: action_date: 2021-03-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-03-01
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>White House Ethics Transparency Act of </b><b>2021</b></p> <p>This bill creates transparency requirements for ethics waivers (i.e., waivers from the requirement to sign an ethics pledge) issued to executive branch appointees.</p> <p>Specifically, such ethics waivers must be transmitted to the Office of Government Ethics and made publicly available online.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1461 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 1, 2021 Mr. Lynch introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform A BILL To provide transparency regarding waivers granted to individuals from Executive orders related to ethics commitments or compliance, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the White House Ethics Transparency Act of 2021 . 2. Procedure for waivers and authorizations relating to ethics requirements (a) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law, not later than 30 days after an officer or employee issues or approves a waiver or authorization pursuant to any Executive order related to ethics commitments or compliance by covered employees, such officer or employee shall— (1) transmit a written copy of such waiver or authorization to the Director of the Office of Government Ethics; and (2) make a written copy of such waiver or authorization available to the public on the website of the employing agency of the covered employee. (b) Office of Government Ethics public availability Not later than 30 days after receiving a written copy of a waiver or authorization under subsection (a)(1), the Director of the Office of Government Ethics shall make such waiver or authorization available to the public on the website of the Office of Government Ethics. (c) Definition of covered employee In this section, the term covered employee — (1) means a non-career Presidential or Vice Presidential appointee, non-career appointee in the Senior Executive Service (or other SES-type system), or an appointee to a position that has been excepted from the competitive service by reason of being of a confidential or policymaking character (Schedule C and other positions excepted under comparable criteria) in an executive agency; and (2) does not include any individual appointed as a member of the Senior Foreign Service or solely as a uniformed service commissioned officer.