Stop Ballroom Bribery Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6085
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-11-18: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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
- 2026-02-05T09:06:48Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The "Stop Ballroom Bribery Act" (H.R. 6085) aims to prevent corruption and undue influence by imposing strict limits on private donations for maintaining, building, or hosting events on public properties closely linked to the President or Vice President, such as the White House or Naval Observatory grounds. It also restricts donations for monuments honoring living current or former Presidents, Vice Presidents, or presidential appointees. The goal is to ensure these donations do not compromise government integrity or create the appearance of favoritism.
Key Provisions
- Definitions:
- Covered project: Includes maintenance, construction, or improvements to public properties (like buildings or fixtures) on or near White House or Naval Observatory grounds; events hosted there; or federal monuments honoring living officials.
- Donation: Any gift, bequest, or service of value, whether direct or indirect.
- Other terms include foreign government (as defined in federal law), lobbying activities (efforts to influence government officials, per the Lobbying Disclosure Act), and nonprofit organization (tax-exempt groups under IRS rules).
- Restrictions on Accepting Donations:
- Donations can only be accepted if authorized by existing law and approved in writing by the Director of the National Park Service (NPS) with concurrence from the Director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE). Approvals must be reported to Congress and published in the Federal Register (the official government gazette).
- Prohibited donors include those involved in lawsuits or investigations with the federal government, seeking contracts or grants, engaged in lobbying the executive branch, or pursuing pardons or appointments from the President.
- Donations cannot be conditioned on receiving government benefits, coerced, or appear to influence official duties.
- The President, Vice President, their spouses/children, or Executive Office staff cannot solicit donations.
- Foreign government donations require congressional approval.
- Post-Donation Rules:
- No public recognition of donors (e.g., no plaques with names or logos).
- Donors face a 2-year "cooling-off" period barring them from lobbying executive branch officials.
- Leftover funds cannot benefit the President, Vice President, their families, or presidential appointees personally.
- Donations cannot be converted to private use.
- Transparency Requirements:
- Donors must disclose any meetings or communications with the President, Vice President, their families, or related officials within one year before or after the donation, including topics discussed. Disclosures are due within 7 days of the donation or meeting.
- NPS must publish quarterly reports in the Federal Register detailing donations over $200, including descriptions, dates, donor identities, and related meetings.
- Bans "straw donations" (using another's name to hide the source) and anonymous donations.
- Affiliated donors must attest they are not acting on behalf of prohibited entities.
- Enforcement:
- OGE must issue implementing regulations within 180 days.
- Violations allow for judicial review; state attorneys general or the U.S. Attorney General can file civil suits in federal court.
- Civil penalties: Up to $20,000 (or donation value) for smaller violations; up to $100,000 for those exceeding $50,000 annually; plus disgorgement (returning ill-gotten gains).
- Criminal penalties for knowing/willful violations: Fines, up to 1 year in prison (or 5 years for larger cases), and disgorgement.
- Courts can issue injunctions (court orders to stop actions).
- 10-year statute of limitations for actions; penalties do not limit other legal remedies.
- Severability clause: If any part is ruled unconstitutional, the rest remains in effect.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill builds on current ethics laws (e.g., gift acceptance rules under 5 U.S.C. § 7342 and lobbying disclosures) but introduces new, targeted restrictions:
- Previously, donations for White House or similar properties could be accepted with general oversight; now, they require dual NPS/OGE approval, congressional notification, and public disclosure.
- It adds specific bans on donations from litigants, contractors, lobbyists, or pardon-seekers—categories not explicitly barred before for these properties.
- Enhances transparency with mandatory meeting disclosures and quarterly reports, going beyond existing nonprofit reporting.
- Introduces criminal penalties and state enforcement powers, expanding beyond federal-only remedies.
- Prohibits solicitation by presidential family members and donor recognition, which were not uniformly restricted.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases administrative burden on NPS and OGE for reviews and reporting; may limit funding for White House maintenance or events, potentially requiring more taxpayer dollars. Strengthens ethics enforcement but could slow project approvals.
- Citizens: Reduces risks of corruption in high-profile public spaces, promoting trust in government. However, it might deter legitimate private contributions for public improvements, affecting access to funded events or facilities.
- International Relations: Stricter rules on foreign donations (requiring congressional approval) could limit diplomatic gifts or funding, potentially straining relations if perceived as overly restrictive, but it prevents foreign influence.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Government Officials: Presidents, Vice Presidents, their families, and appointees (restricted from soliciting or benefiting personally).
- Agencies: NPS (handles approvals and reports), OGE (ethics oversight and regulations), Congress (receives notifications and approves foreign gifts), and the Department of Justice (enforces penalties).
- Donors and Organizations: Businesses, nonprofits, individuals, and foreign entities seeking to contribute (face new barriers, disclosures, and penalties).
- Public and Taxpayers: Benefit from reduced corruption risks but may see indirect costs if public projects rely more on federal budgets.
- State Attorneys General: Gain new authority to sue over violations.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Expands enforcement tools (e.g., state lawsuits, long statutes of limitations) to deter violations, aligning with broader anti-corruption efforts like the Foreign Emoluments Clause (which bars officials from foreign gifts without consent). The disgorgement and injunction provisions provide strong remedies without needing to prove broader harm.
- Constitutional: Could face challenges under the First Amendment if donation bans are seen as restricting free speech or association, though courts have upheld similar ethics rules for public officials. The severability clause protects against partial invalidation. It respects separation of powers by involving Senate-confirmed directors and Congress in approvals.
- Political: Targets perceived "pay-to-play" issues in executive-linked projects (e.g., high-dollar event funding), potentially reducing scandals but drawing criticism for limiting executive discretion. As a bipartisan anti-corruption measure, it may appeal across parties but could be viewed as partisan if applied selectively to administrations. Referred to multiple committees (Oversight, Natural Resources, Transportation), indicating broad jurisdictional review.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (12)
Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8], Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11], Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30], Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3], Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4]
Recent Actions
- 2025-11-18: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
- 2025-11-18: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
- 2025-11-18: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
- 2025-11-18: Introduced in House
- 2025-11-18: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Stop Ballroom Bribery Act — issued 2025-11-18 — PDF (17 pages)