No Corruption in Government Act

Bill Number: H.R. 358
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Congress
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2025-01-13: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, the Judiciary, and Oversight and Government Reform, 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.
Last Updated: 2026-03-11T14:52:19Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The "No Corruption in Government Act" (H.R. 358) aims to reduce potential conflicts of interest and corruption among Members of Congress by imposing stricter financial and post-employment restrictions. It seeks to prevent insider trading based on non-public information, limit lobbying activities after leaving office, and eliminate automatic salary increases, promoting greater public trust in government.

Key Provisions

The bill is divided into three titles, each addressing a specific area of reform:

Title I: Prohibit Insider Trading Act
Prohibits Members of Congress and their spouses from holding, buying, or selling "covered financial instruments" (such as stocks, bonds, commodity futures, or derivatives like options) during the Member's term in office.
Exceptions include: a 7-day grace period for newly elected Members; holdings in "qualified blind trusts" (investment accounts managed independently without the owner's knowledge of specific assets); and exclusions for diversified mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), the federal Thrift Savings Plan (a retirement plan for government employees), and U.S. Treasury securities.
Requires Members to certify compliance at the start of each congressional session, with certifications published online.
Mandates audits by the supervising ethics office (e.g., the House or Senate Ethics Committee) at least every two years.
Applies starting the second session of the 119th Congress (likely in 2026).

Title II: Ban Members From Lobbying Act
Extends the post-employment ban on lobbying Congress: from 2 years to 6 years for former Senators; from 1 year to 3 years for former House Members.
Maintains a 1-year ban for former elected House officers (e.g., Speaker or Majority Leader) when contacting the House.
The ban applies to communications or appearances intended to influence congressional actions on behalf of others (except the U.S. government).
Violations are punishable under existing federal penalties (fines or imprisonment under 18 U.S.C. § 216).
Applies to individuals leaving office on or after the date of enactment.

Title III: Eliminating Member COLA (Cost-of-Living Adjustment)
Repeals the automatic annual pay adjustment for Members of Congress tied to private-sector wage growth.
Future pay changes must be explicitly approved by law.
Takes effect when the 120th Congress convenes (January 2027).

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Title I: Adds a new subchapter to 5 U.S.C. Chapter 131 (Ethics in Government), introducing the first outright ban on most individual stock trading by Members and spouses, beyond current disclosure requirements under the STOCK Act of 2012 (which prohibits trading on non-public information but allows holdings).
Title II: Amends 18 U.S.C. § 207 (restrictions on former officers), significantly lengthening cooling-off periods for lobbying to curb the "revolving door" between Congress and influence peddling, compared to prior 1- or 2-year bans.
Title III: Removes the automatic mechanism in 2 U.S.C. § 4501 (from the 1946 Legislative Reorganization Act), shifting from formula-based increases to deliberate legislative action, similar to past temporary freezes but made permanent.

Potential Impacts

On Government Agencies: Increases workload for ethics offices (e.g., auditing compliance and certifications), potentially requiring more resources for oversight. No direct impact on executive agencies or international relations.
On Citizens: Enhances transparency and accountability, potentially rebuilding public confidence in Congress by reducing perceptions of self-enrichment. Citizens may indirectly benefit from a less corrupt legislative process, though it does not affect taxes or services directly.
On International Relations: Minimal to none, as the bill focuses on domestic ethics rules without foreign policy elements.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Members of Congress and Spouses: Face strict limits on personal investments, requiring divestment or blind trusts, which could disrupt family finances.
Former Members: Longer lobbying bans may limit career options in consulting or advocacy, affecting income post-office.
Lobbying Firms and Interest Groups: Reduced access to former Members could slow influence efforts, potentially shifting strategies toward other channels.
Ethics Committees and Oversight Bodies: Gain enforcement responsibilities, including audits and public reporting.
General Public and Taxpayers: Benefit from perceived reductions in corruption, with disgorged profits (from violations) returned to the U.S. Treasury.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Strengthens enforcement through disgorgement (forcing violators to forfeit profits), tax penalties (disallowing loss deductions), and civil fines, building on existing ethics laws without creating new crimes. The blind trust exception aligns with federal conflict-of-interest rules.
Constitutional: The pay repeal provision implicates Article I, Section 6 (congressional compensation), but courts have upheld similar restrictions as long as they do not reduce current pay (per historical precedents like the 27th Amendment). No First Amendment challenges are anticipated for lobbying bans, as they target post-employment conduct.
Political: Could deter potential candidates due to financial restrictions, but may appeal to voters seeking reform. Politically neutral in intent, it risks partisan debates over implementation, especially audits, and might set precedents for broader ethics reforms in other branches of government.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3]

Cosponsors (2)

Rep. Perez, Marie Gluesenkamp [D-WA-3], Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]

Recent Actions

2025-01-13: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, the Judiciary, and Oversight and Government Reform, 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.
2025-01-13: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, the Judiciary, and Oversight and Government Reform, 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.
2025-01-13: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, the Judiciary, and Oversight and Government Reform, 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.
2025-01-13: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, the Judiciary, and Oversight and Government Reform, 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.
2025-01-13: Introduced in House
2025-01-13: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

No Corruption in Government Act — issued 2025-01-13 — PDF (9 pages)