COMPILATION OF FEDERAL ETHICS LAWS PREPARED BY THE UNITED STATES OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT ETHICS This compilation of Federal ethics laws has been prepared by the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) for the ethics community. In preparing this book, we have included not only the laws within the jurisdiction of the ethics program, but also other related statutes on which ethics officials are often called upon to provide advice to agency employees. Additionally, we have inserted the new ethics provisions of the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012 (STOCK Act) that have yet to be codified and noted the most substantial changes to the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 arising from the STOCK Act. OGE hopes that this book will be a useful tool to ethics officials in carrying out their important work of helping Federal employees to fulfill the public trust placed in them when they enter public service. This compilation includes all provisions signed into law through January 13, 2013. TABLE OF CONTENTS I. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST .....................................................................................................5 18 U.S.C. § 201. Bribery of public officials and witnesses ................................................5 18 U.S.C. § 202. Definitions ...............................................................................................7 18 U.S.C. § 203. Compensation to Members of Congress, officers, and others in matters affecting the Government ..................................................................................8 18 U.S.C. § 204. Practice in United States Court of Federal Claims or the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit by Members of Congress ...................9 18 U.S.C. § 205. Activities of officers and employees in claims against and other matters affecting the Government ................................................................................10 18 U.S.C. § 206. Exemption of retired officers of the uniformed services ......................11 18 U.S.C. § 207. Restrictions on former officers, employees, and elected officials of the executive and legislative branches .........................................................................12 18 U.S.C. § 208. Acts affecting a personal financial interest ...........................................23 18 U.S.C. § 209. Salary of Government officials and employees payable only by United States ................................................................................................................25 18 U.S.C. § 210. Offer to procure appointive public office..............................................26 18 U.S.C. § 211. Acceptance or solicitation to obtain appointive public office ...............26 18 U.S.C. § 216. Penalties and injunctions .......................................................................27 18 U.S.C. § 219. Officers and employees acting as agents of foreign principals .............27 II. ETHICS IN GOVERNMENT ACT OF 1978..........................................................................28 A. Public Financial Disclosure Requirements ........................................................................28 5 U.S.C. app. § 101. Persons required to file ....................................................................28 5 U.S.C. app. § 102. Contents of reports ..........................................................................31 5 U.S.C. app. § 103. Filing of reports ...............................................................................41 5 U.S.C. app. § 104. Failure to file or filing false reports.................................................44 5 U.S.C. app. § 105. Custody of and public access to reports ..........................................45 Pub. L. 112-105 §§ 8(a)-(b) (STOCK Act). Public filing and disclosure of financial disclosure forms of Members of Congress and congressional staff. ...........................48 Pub. L. 112-105 § 11 (STOCK Act). Executive branch reporting ....................................49 5 U.S.C. app. § 106. Review of reports ............................................................................51 5 U.S.C. app. § 107. Confidential reports and other additional requirements ..................52 5 U.S.C. app. § 108. Authority of Comptroller General ...................................................53 5 U.S.C. app. § 109. Definitions .......................................................................................53 5 U.S.C. app. § 110. Notice of actions taken to comply with ethics agreements .............56 5 U.S.C. app. § 111. Administration of provisions ...........................................................57 B. Office of Government Ethics .............................................................................................57 5 U.S.C. app. § 401. Establishment; appointment of Director..........................................57 5 U.S.C. app. § 402. Authority and functions ...................................................................57 5 U.S.C. app. § 403. Administrative provisions ...............................................................62 5 U.S.C. app. § 404. Rules and regulations ......................................................................62 5 U.S.C. app. § 405. Authorization of appropriations ......................................................63 5 U.S.C. app. § 408. Reports to Congress.........................................................................63 C. Outside Earned Income and Activities ...............................................................................63 5 U.S.C. app. § 501. Outside earned income limitation....................................................63 5 U.S.C. app. § 502. Limitations on outside employment ................................................64 5 U.S.C. app. § 503. Administration .................................................................................64 5 U.S.C. app. § 504. Civil Penalties..................................................................................65 5 U.S.C. app. § 505. Definitions .......................................................................................65 D. Use of Nonpublic Information for Private Profit ...............................................................66 Pub. L. 112-105 § 3 (STOCK Act). Prohibition of the use of nonpublic information for private profit ...........................................................................................................66 Pub. L. 112-105 § 9(a) (STOCK Act). Other Federal officials .........................................66 E. Post-Employment Negotiation Restrictions .......................................................................67 Pub. L. 112-105 § 17 (STOCK Act). Post-employment negotiation restrictions ..............67 E. General Provisions (STOCK Act) ......................................................................................67 Pub. L. 112-105 § 2 (STOCK Act). Definitions ................................................................67 Pub. L. 112-105 § 10 (STOCK Act). Rule of construction ...............................................68 III. PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTING ...........................................................................68 A. Restrictions on Obtaining and Disclosing Certain Information .........................................68 41 U.S.C. § 2101. Definitions ............................................................................................68 41 U.S.C. § 2102. Prohibitions on disclosing and obtaining procurement information ....69 41 U.S.C. § 2103. Actions required of procurement officers when contacted regarding non-Federal employment .............................................................................................70 41 U.S.C. § 2104. Prohibition on former official’s acceptance of compensation from contractor .....................................................................................................................71 41 U.S.C. § 2105. Penalties and administrative actions ....................................................71 41 U.S.C. § 2106. Reporting information believed to constitute evidence of offense ......72 41 U.S.C. § 2107. Savings provisions ...............................................................................73 B. Interest of Members of Congress .......................................................................................73 41 U.S.C. § 6306. Prohibition on Members of Congress making contracts with Federal Government..................................................................................................................73 C. Contracts by or with Members of Congress .......................................................................73 18 U.S.C. § 431. Contracts by Member of Congress ........................................................73 18 U.S.C. § 432. Officer or employee contracting with Member of Congress ................74 18 U.S.C. § 433. Exemptions with respect to certain contracts ........................................74 IV. GIFTS AND TRAVEL ............................................................................................................74 A. Gifts to Federal employees ................................................................................................74 5 U.S.C. § 7353. Gifts to Federal employees....................................................................74 5 U.S.C. § 7353 note. Limitation on the Acceptance of Honorary Club Memberships ....76 B. Gifts to Superiors