This bill adds a new subsection to the federal criminal conflict-of-interest law (18 U.S.C. 207). It creates extended post-employment restrictions for people who serve in positions that require Senate confirmation. Those people would be barred from knowingly representing, aiding, or advising a foreign governmental entity of a listed "country of concern" before U.S. executive or legislative branch officers if the intent is to influence a decision. The bill defines key terms, excludes representation limited to U.S.-licensed attorneys providing legal advice, and ties the meaning of "country of concern" to the State Department Basic Authorities Act with one listed exception.
The bill also requires agencies to give notice of these restrictions when a person is appointed and when their service ends. It adds a process for the Secretary of State, consulted with the Attorney General, to propose adding or removing countries from the "country of concern" list. Any change becomes effective only if Congress enacts a specific joint resolution of approval. The measure includes a 30-day grace period for persons who represent a country newly added to the list and a sunset rule that ends the new restrictions for appointments made five years after the bill's enactment. The bill references punishment under section 216 for violations and makes conforming changes to the State Department statute.
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The bill's text includes a "Sense of Congress" that highlights preventing and mitigating potential conflicts of interest after government service, especially for senior officials who might work on behalf of foreign governments. It says Congress and the executive branch should jointly evaluate post-employment restrictions.
No publicly available information.