H.R. 1626 – Public Service Spending Integrity Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 2:42 AM UTC

The Public Service Spending Integrity Act aims to stop high‑level government officials and members of Congress – and their families – from profiting from federal money. Starting in fiscal year 2020, it bars the use of federal funds or contracts for goods and services from businesses owned or controlled by these officials or their relatives, unless the spending is needed for security. The bill applies to the President, Vice President, cabinet members, other designated executive officials, and all members of Congress.

Key Provisions

Federal funds cannot be spent to buy goods or services from businesses owned or controlled by the President, Vice President, cabinet members, or their family members, except for security‑related needs.
Members of the House and Senate may not use their official allowances or expense accounts to purchase from businesses owned or controlled by themselves or their family members, unless required for security.
No federal agency may enter into a contract with a business owned or controlled by any covered individual or their family members.
A business is considered owned or controlled if the official or family member sits on its board or holds 51 % or more of its voting shares.
The law defines “covered individual” as the President, Vice President, heads of executive departments, and other cabinet‑level officials, and defines “family member” broadly to include spouses, children, parents, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, domestic partners, and their spouses.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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.

Oversight and Government Reform Committee

March 7, 2019

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

March 7, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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.

Oversight and Government Reform Committee

March 7, 2019

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode

Raw Text PDF XML

Introduced in HouseIssued March 7, 2019

I

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1626

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 7, 2019

Mr. Ruiz introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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

A BILL

To prevent the enrichment of certain Government officers and employees or their families through Federal funds or contracting, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title; findings

(a)

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Public Service Spending Integrity Act.

(b)

Findings

Congress finds the following:

(1)

Americans’ trust in government is essential to our democracy.

(2)

Allowing public service by an elected official to seemingly converge with their own personal gain is corrosive to Americans’ faith in government.

(3)

Members of Congress and the executive branch have substantial power and discretion over the disbursement of public funds, and with that comes the obligation to create a barrier between public service and personal gain.

2.

Limitation on use of Federal funds and contracting at businesses owned by certain Government officers and employees

(a)

Limitation on Federal funds

(1)

President; Vice President; Cabinet

Beginning in fiscal year 2020 and in each fiscal year thereafter, no Federal funds may be obligated or expended for purposes of procuring goods or services at any business owned or controlled by a covered individual or any family member of such an individual, unless such obligation or expenditure of funds is necessary for the security of a covered individual or family member.

(2)

Members of Congress

Beginning in fiscal year 2020 and in each fiscal year thereafter, no funds from a Members’ Representational Allowance of a Member of the House of Representatives (including a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress) or a Senators’ Official Personnel and Office Expense Account may be obligated or expended for purposes of procuring goods or services at any business owned or controlled by the Member of Congress or any family member of such a Member, unless such obligation or expenditure of funds is necessary for the security of a Member or family member of a Member.

(b)

Prohibition on contracts

No federal agency may enter into a contract with a business owned or controlled by a covered individual or any family member of such an individual.

(c)

Determination of ownership

For purposes of this section, a business shall be deemed to be owned or controlled by a covered individual or any family member of such an individual, or a Member of Congress or a family member of such a Member, if the covered individual or member of family or the Member of Congress or member of family (as the case may be)—

(1)

is a member of the board of directors or similar governing body of the business; or

(2)

directly or indirectly owns or controls 51 percent or more of the voting shares of the business.

(d)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Covered individual

The term covered individual means—

(A)

the President;

(B)

the Vice President;

(C)

the head of any Executive department (as that term is defined in section 101 of title 5, United States Code); and

(D)

any individual occupying a position designated by the President as a Cabinet-level position.

(2)

Family member

The term family member means an individual with any of the following relationships to a covered individual or a Member of Congress:

(A)

Spouse, and parents thereof.

(B)

Sons and daughters, and spouses thereof.

(C)

Parents, and spouses thereof.

(D)

Brothers and sisters, and spouses thereof.

(E)

Grandparents and grandchildren, and spouses thereof.

(F)

Domestic partner and parents thereof, including domestic partners of any individual in paragraphs (2) through (5).

(3)

Federal agency

The term federal agency has the meaning given that term in section 102 of title 40, United States Code.

(4)

Member of Congress

The term Member of Congress has the meaning given that term in section 2106 of title 5, United States Code, but does not include the Vice President.