S. 5509 – No Gratuities for Governing Act of 2026

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Updated October 3, 2026 at 4:22 AM UTC

The No Gratuities for Governing Act of 2026 amends the federal bribery law (18 U.S.C. § 666) to tighten rules on illegal gratuities tied to programs that receive federal money. It raises the maximum prison term, defines specific dollar thresholds for prohibited gifts and the related transactions, and updates forfeiture rules to cover the new provisions. The changes affect anyone who gives or receives such gratuities in connection with federally funded programs, as well as the agencies that oversee those programs.

Key Provisions

Re‑numbers existing subsections of § 666 and inserts a new subsection (b) that makes it a crime to give, offer, promise, demand, seek, receive, or accept $1,000 or more in value when it is linked to an official act involving a transaction of $5,000 or more.
Increases the maximum imprisonment for violations from 10 years to 15 years.
Adds the new subsection (b) (and the existing subsection (c)) to the list of offenses that trigger asset forfeiture under 18 U.S.C. § 981 and § 982.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

September 24, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

September 24, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

September 24, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued September 24, 2026

II

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5509

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 24, 2026

Mr. Kim (for himself and Mr. Booker) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To amend title 18, United States Code, to clarify the offense pertaining to illegal gratuities concerning programs receiving Federal funds.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the No Gratuities for Governing Act of 2026.

2.

Illegal gratuities concerning programs receiving Federal funds

(a)

In general

Section 666 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

by redesignating subsections (b), (c), and (d) as subsections (c), (d), and (e), respectively;

(2)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking subsection (b) and inserting subsection (c); and

(B)

in the matter following paragraph (2), by striking 10 years and inserting 15 years;

(3)

by inserting after subsection (a) the following:

(b)

Whoever, if the circumstance described in subsection (c) of this section exists—

(1)

directly or indirectly, knowingly and purposefully gives, offers, or promises anything of value of $1,000 or more to any agent of an organization, or of a State, local, or Indian Tribal government, or any agency thereof, for or because of any official act performed by such agent in connection with any business, transaction, or series of transactions of such organization, government, or agency involving anything of value of $5,000 or more; or

(2)

being an agent of an organization, or of a State, local, or Indian Tribal government, or any agency thereof, directly or indirectly, knowingly and purposefully demands, seeks, receives, accepts, or agrees to receive or accept anything of value of $1,000 or more personally for or because of any official act performed by such agent in connection with any business, transaction, or series of transactions of such organization, government, or agency involving anything of value of $5,000 or more;

shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both.

; and

(4)

in subsection (c), as so redesignated, by striking circumstance referred to in subsection (a) and inserting circumstance referred to in subsections (a) and (b).

(b)

Forfeiture

Chapter 46 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in section 981(a)(1)(D), by striking clause (i) and inserting the following:

(i)

subsection (a)(1) or (b) of section 666 (relating to Federal program fraud and illegal gratuities concerning programs receiving Federal funds);

; and

(2)

in section 982(a)(3), by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the following:

(A)

subsection (a)(1) or (b) of section 666 (relating to Federal program fraud and illegal gratuities concerning programs receiving Federal funds);

.