Stop Padding Presidential Pockets Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6831
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-17: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, 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
- 2026-03-20T08:06:59Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The "Stop Padding Presidential Pockets Act" (H.R. 6831) aims to prevent the President and Vice President from personally profiting from their official positions. It focuses on requiring reimbursements for government costs tied to personal business travel, limiting business activities during office, restricting fundraising for presidential libraries, and barring certain legal claims against the government.
Key Provisions
- Reimbursement for Travel Costs (Section 2): If the President or Vice President travels for the benefit of a business they own, control, or receive financial gains from, they must repay the U.S. Treasury for all Secret Service protection costs and other government expenses related to that trip. This applies to both domestic and international travel.
- Exceptions to Federal Tort Claims Act (Section 3): Amends federal law (28 U.S.C. § 2680) to prevent the President, Vice President, or anyone who later becomes one of them from filing certain claims against the government under the Federal Tort Claims Act (which allows lawsuits for government negligence). This applies to any claims, even those from before the law's enactment, and covers pending or new claims.
- Limits on Soliciting Donations for Presidential Libraries (Section 4): Prohibits the President or Vice President from asking for donations to a presidential library or museum while in office. Both individuals and private organizations involved must submit annual reports to the Archivist of the United States (the official who oversees national records) detailing interactions or financial activities related to these libraries. Failure to report results in a $1,000 daily fine.
- Restrictions on Presidential Business Activities (Section 5): Bars the President from starting, running, serving on the board of, or handling daily operations of any business while in office. If an immediate family member (like a spouse or child) engages in such activities, they must file quarterly reports to Congress and publicly certify that it does not benefit the President. Any income the President earns from prohibited business activities is taxed at 100%.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces new reimbursement rules for Secret Service and travel costs, overriding other laws to ensure the government is repaid for trips linked to personal financial interests (no prior blanket requirement existed for presidential business travel).
- Modifies the Federal Tort Claims Act by adding a permanent exception (subsection (o)) that blocks tort claims by current or future Presidents and Vice Presidents, applying retroactively to past acts—this expands existing exceptions for discretionary government functions.
- Creates fresh reporting mandates and bans on library fundraising, with civil penalties, which were not previously required under ethics or archiving laws.
- Imposes a total (100%) tax on presidential business income during office and reporting/certification requirements for family members, altering income and conflict-of-interest rules without directly amending existing ethics statutes like the Emoluments Clause enforcement.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The Secret Service and Treasury could recover significant funds from reimbursements, reducing taxpayer burdens for personal trips. The Archivist gains new oversight duties for library reports, while Congress receives family business disclosures, potentially increasing administrative workloads.
- On Citizens: Enhances transparency and accountability for presidential finances, potentially saving public money on travel and libraries. However, it may limit presidents' personal legal recourse against government actions.
- On International Relations: International business travel by the President would require cost reimbursements, which could discourage mixing official duties with personal profit abroad but might complicate diplomatic trips if businesses are involved.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- President and Vice President: Directly restricted in business operations, travel reimbursements, library fundraising, and ability to sue the government.
- Immediate Family Members: Required to report business activities and certify no benefit to the sitting President.
- Government Entities: U.S. Secret Service (reimbursements for protection), Treasury (fund recovery and tax collection), Archivist of the United States (report oversight), and Congress (receiving family reports).
- Private Sector: Businesses owned or controlled by the President/Vice President (subject to reimbursements and taxes); organizations managing presidential libraries (must report finances and face fines).
- Taxpayers and General Public: Indirectly benefit from cost recoveries and increased transparency but may see higher enforcement costs.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: The retroactive bar on tort claims could face challenges for violating due process or equal protection under the Constitution, as it denies standard legal remedies to high officials. The 100% tax on business income might be contested as an excessive penalty or bill of attainder (a law punishing a specific person without trial). Reporting requirements could raise privacy concerns but align with existing ethics disclosure laws.
- Constitutional: Potentially tests separation of powers by Congress regulating executive branch finances and activities, possibly conflicting with presidential immunity precedents or the Emoluments Clause (which bars foreign profit from office but not fully enforced domestically). Family reporting might indirectly limit free speech or association rights.
- Political: Promotes ethics reform by addressing conflicts of interest, but could deter qualified candidates from running for office due to business restrictions. Enactment might spark partisan debates over executive accountability, especially if applied unevenly across administrations.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
Cosponsors (4)
Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1], Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1]
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-17: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, 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.
- 2025-12-17: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, 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.
- 2025-12-17: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, 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.
- 2025-12-17: Introduced in House
- 2025-12-17: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Stop Padding Presidential Pockets Act — issued 2025-12-17 — PDF (4 pages)