Department of Justice Integrity Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8861
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-15: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-25T20:04:10Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This legislation aims to establish restrictions on former federal prosecutors after they leave government service, specifically to limit their ability to immediately work on matters involving business entities they previously handled in criminal cases.
Key Provisions
- Adds a new subsection (m) to Section 207 of title 18, United States Code, which addresses post-employment conduct rules for government employees.
- Prohibits any former U.S. attorney who personally and substantially worked on a federal criminal case or related agreement against a business entity from representing, aiding, or assisting that same business entity in similar matters within one year after leaving their position.
- Applies the restriction to federal prosecutions and certain agreements under section 3161(h)(2) of title 18 (which covers delays in criminal proceedings for plea deals or similar arrangements).
- Defines "business entity" to include corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, and other commercial organizations.
- Violations are subject to penalties outlined in section 216 of title 18.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces a targeted one-year cooling-off period for U.S. attorneys regarding business entities, expanding the general post-employment rules already in Section 207.
- Creates a new, specific prohibition focused on attorneys involved in business-related criminal matters, which did not previously exist in this form.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Primarily affects the Department of Justice by imposing additional limits on the post-government employment options for its attorneys, potentially influencing recruitment and retention.
- Citizens: May strengthen public confidence in the fairness of federal prosecutions by reducing perceived conflicts of interest.
- International relations: No direct effects identified in the legislation.
- Business entities: Limits their ability to hire former prosecutors for defense work in cases those attorneys previously handled.
Main Stakeholders
- Current and former attorneys employed by the United States (federal prosecutors).
- Business entities involved in federal criminal prosecutions or related agreements.
- The Department of Justice as the primary agency enforcing these rules.
- The general public, through interests in government ethics and prosecutorial integrity.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Strengthens ethics regulations for federal employees by adding a narrow restriction similar to other revolving-door rules, without altering broader constitutional rights such as freedom of speech or association.
- Raises potential legal questions about balancing government integrity with individual employment opportunities, though the measure aligns with existing frameworks in title 18.
- Politically, it focuses on enhancing accountability within the Department of Justice regarding interactions with corporate defendants.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
Cosponsors (5)
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-15: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-05-15: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-15: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Department of Justice Integrity Act of 2026 — issued 2026-05-15 — PDF (2 pages)