Editorial Notes
References in Text
This Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is Pub. L. 95–521, Oct. 26, 1978, 92 Stat. 1824, as amended, known as the Ethics in Government Act of 1978. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out below and Tables.
Section 301 of the Federal Campaign Act of 1971, referred to in subsec. (c), probably means section 301 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, Pub. L. 92–225, which is classified to section 30101 of Title 52, Voting and Elections.
The General Schedule, referred to in subsec. (f)(3), (6), is set out under section 5332 of this title.
Section 112 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, referred to in subsec. (g)(2), is classified to section 112 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.
Amendments
2006—Subsec. (f)(6). Pub. L. 109–435 substituted “Postal Regulatory Commission” for “Postal Rate Commission”.
1992—Subsec. (f)(3). Pub. L. 102–378, § 4(a)(1)(A), substituted “who occupies a position classified above GS–15 of the General Schedule or, in the case of positions not under the General Schedule, for which the rate of basic pay is equal to or greater than 120 percent of the minimum rate of basic pay payable for GS–15 of the General Schedule” for “whose position is classified at GS–16 or above of the General Schedule prescribed by section 5332 of title 5, United States Code, or the rate of basic pay for which is fixed (other than under the General Schedule) at a rate equal to or greater than the minimum rate of basic pay fixed for GS–16”.
Subsec. (f)(6). Pub. L. 102–378, § 4(a)(1)(B), substituted “who occupies a position for which the rate of basic pay is equal to or greater than 120 percent of the minimum rate of basic pay payable for GS–15 of the General Schedule” for “whose basic rate of pay is equal to or greater than the minimum rate of basic pay fixed for GS–16”.
1991—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 102–25 designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).
1990—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 101–280, § 3(2), struck out “the later of May 15 or” after “shall, on or before”.
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 101–280, § 3(1), struck out “of the United States” after “Judicial Conference”.
1989—Pub. L. 101–194 substituted “Persons required to file” for “Legislative personnel financial disclosure” as section catchline and amended text generally, substituting subsecs. (a) to (i) relating to filing of financial disclosure reports by Federal personnel for former subsecs. (a) to (h) relating to filing of financial disclosure reports by legislative personnel.
1979—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–19, §§ 2(b), 4(d), (e), designated existing provisions as par. (1), substituted “described in subsection (e)” for “designated in subsection (e)” and “information described in section 102(a) if such individual is or will be such an officer or employee on such May 15” for “information as described in section 102(a)”, and added par. (2).
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 96–19, §§ 2(a)(1), 4(d), (f), inserted provisions relating to an individual who is not reasonably expected to perform the duties of his office or position for more than sixty days in a calendar year and substituted “described” for “designated” and “, other than an individual who was employed in the legislative branch immediately before he assumed such position,” for “other than an individual employed in the legislative branch upon assuming such position”.
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 96–19, § 5, inserted provision that in any calendar year in which an individual continues to be a candidate for any office but all elections for such office relating to that candidacy were held in prior calendar years, that individual need not file a report unless he becomes a candidate for another vacancy in that office or another office during that year.
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 96–19, § 4(b)(1), inserted reference to the National Commission on Air Quality.
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 96–19, § 2(c)(1), added subsec. (h).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1991 Amendment
Pub. L. 102–25, title VI, § 605(b), Apr. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 110, provided that:
“The amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply with respect to reports required to be filed after January 17, 1991.”
Effective Date of 1990 Amendment
Pub. L. 101–280, § 11, May 4, 1990, 104 Stat. 163, provided that:
“Except as otherwise provided in this joint resolution, this Act and the amendments made by this joint resolution [amending sections
101 to
106,
109 to 111, former section 202, and sections 501 to 503 of
Pub. L. 95–521, set out in this Appendix, sections 3393, 7351, 7353, and 7701 of this title, sections 31–1 and 4725 and former
section 441i of Title 2, The Congress, sections 1601 and 2397a of Title 10, Armed Forces, sections 202, 203, 205, 207, 208, and 216 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure,
section 3945 of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse,
section 1043 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, and sections 1353 and 3730 of Title 31, Money and Finance, renumbering
section 1352 of Title 31 as section 1353, repealing
section 112 of Pub. L. 95–521, set out in this Appendix, enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 101 and 105 of
Pub. L. 95–521, set out in this Appendix,
section 2397a of Title 10, and
section 1043 of Title 26, and amending provisions set out as notes under section 207 and 208 of Title 18 and
section 1344 of Title 31] take effect on the date of the enactment of this joint resolution [
May 4, 1990].”
Effective Date of 1989 Amendment
Pub. L. 101–194, title II, § 204, as added by Pub. L. 101–280, § 3(10)(B), May 4, 1990, 104 Stat. 157, provided that:
“The amendments made by this title [enacting sections 110 to 112 of
Pub. L. 95–521, set out in this Appendix amending sections 101 to 109 of
Pub. L. 95–521, set out in this Appendix, but formerly classified to sections 701 to 709 of Title 2, The Congress] and the repeal made by section 201 [repealing sections 201 to 212 of
Pub. L. 95–521, formerly set out under the heading Executive Personnel Financial Disclosure Requirements in this Appendix, and sections 301 to 309 of
Pub. L. 95–521, formerly set out under the heading Judicial Personnel Financial Disclosure Requirements in the
Appendix to Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure] shall take effect on
January 1, 1991, except that the provisions of section 102(f)(4)(B) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 [
section 102(f)(4)(B) of Pub. L. 95–521, set out in this Appendix], as amended by this title, shall be effective as of
January 1, 1990.”
Pub. L. 101–280, § 3(10)(C), (D), May 4, 1990, 104 Stat. 157, provided that:
“(C)
The provisions of titles I [formerly classified to
section 701 et seq. of Title 2, The Congress], II [formerly set out under the heading Executive Personnel Financial Disclosure Requirements in this Appendix], and III [formerly set out under the heading Judicial Personnel Financial Disclosure Requirements in the
Appendix to Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure] of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 [
Pub. L. 95–521], as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of the Ethics Reform Act of 1989 [
Nov. 30, 1989], shall be effective for the period beginning on
November 30, 1989, and ending on
January 1, 1991, as if the Ethics Reform Act of 1989 [
Pub. L. 101–194] had not been enacted, except that the provisions of section 202(f)(4)(B) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 [
section 202(f)(4)(B) of Pub. L. 95–521] shall be repealed as of
January 1, 1990.
“(D)
Nothing in title II of the Ethics Reform Act of 1989 or the amendments made by such title [title II of
Pub. L. 101–194, amending title I of
Pub. L. 95–521, set out in this Appendix, but formerly classified to sections 701 to 709 of Title 2, and repealing title II of
Pub. L. 95–521, formerly set out in this Appendix, and title III of
Pub. L. 95–521, formerly set out in the
Appendix to Title 28] shall be construed to prevent the prosecution of civil actions against individuals for violations of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 [
Pub. L. 95–521] before
January 1, 1991.”
Short Title of 2012 Amendment
Pub. L. 112–105, § 1, Apr. 4, 2012, 126 Stat. 291, as amended by Pub. L. 115–277, § 1(a), Nov. 3, 2018, 132 Stat. 4167, provided that:
“This Act [see Tables for classification] may be cited as the ‘Representative Louise McIntosh Slaughter Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act’ or the ‘STOCK Act’.”
Short Title of 1996 Amendment
Pub. L. 104–179, § 1, Aug. 6, 1996, 110 Stat. 1566, provided that:
“This Act [amending sections 401, 403, 405, and 408 of
Pub. L. 95–521, set out in this Appendix,
section 1822 of Title 12, Banks and Banking, and
section 207 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, and repealing provisions set out as a note under
section 7301 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Office of Government Ethics Authorization Act of 1996’.”
Short Title of 1989 Amendment
Pub. L. 101–194, § 1, Nov. 30, 1989, 103 Stat. 1716, provided that:
“This Act [see Tables for classification] may be cited as the ‘Ethics Reform Act of 1989’.”
Short Title
Pub. L. 95–521, § 1, Oct. 26, 1978, 92 Stat. 1824, provided:
“That this Act [see Tables for classification] may be cited as the ‘Ethics in Government Act of 1978’.”
Rule of Construction
Pub. L. 112–105, § 10, Apr. 4, 2012, 126 Stat. 298, provided that:
“Nothing in this Act [see Short Title of 2012 Amendment note set out above], the amendments made by this Act, or the interpretive guidance to be issued pursuant to sections 3 and 9[(a)] of this Act [set out as notes preceding this section], shall be construed to—
“(1)
impair or limit the construction of the antifraud provisions of the securities laws or the Commodity Exchange Act [
7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.] or the authority of the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under those provisions;
“(2)
be in derogation of the obligations, duties, and functions of a Member of Congress, an employee of Congress, an executive branch employee, a judicial officer, or a judicial employee, arising from such person’s official position; or
“(3)
be in derogation of existing laws, regulations, or ethical obligations governing Members of Congress, employees of Congress, executive branch employees, judicial officers, or judicial employees.”
Post-Employment Negotiation Restrictions
Pub. L. 112–105, § 17, Apr. 4, 2012, 126 Stat. 303, provided that:
“(a) Restriction Extended to Executive and Judicial Branches.—
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an individual required to file a financial disclosure report under section 101 of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (
5 U.S.C. App. 101) may not directly negotiate or have any agreement of future employment or compensation unless such individual, within 3 business days after the commencement of such negotiation or agreement of future employment or compensation, files with the individual’s supervising ethics office a statement, signed by such individual, regarding such negotiations or agreement, including the name of the private entity or entities involved in such negotiations or agreement, and the date such negotiations or agreement commenced.
“(b) Recusal.—
An individual filing a statement under subsection (a) shall recuse himself or herself whenever there is a conflict of interest, or appearance of a conflict of interest, for such individual with respect to the subject matter of the statement, and shall notify the individual’s supervising ethics office of such recusal. An individual making such recusal shall, upon such recusal, submit to the supervising ethics office the statement under subsection (a) with respect to which the recusal was made.”
Rulemaking Power of Congress
Pub. L. 102–90, title III, § 314(f), Aug. 14, 1991, 105 Stat. 470, provided that:
“The provisions of this section [amending sections 102 and 505 of Pub. L. 95–521, set out in this Appendix, section 4725 of Title 2, The Congress, and section 7701 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 4725 of Title 2] that are applicable to Members, officers, or employees of the legislative branch are enacted by the Congress—
“(1)
as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the House of Representatives and the Senate, respectively, and as such they shall be considered as part of the rules of each House, respectively, or of that House to which they specifically apply, and such rules shall supersede other rules only to the extent that they are inconsistent therewith; and
“(2)
with full recognition of the constitutional right of either House to change such rules (so far as relating to such House) at any time, in the same manner, and to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of such House.”
Section 1001 of Pub. L. 101–194 provided that:
“The provisions of this Act [see Short Title of 1989 Amendment note above] that are applicable to Members, officers, or employees of the legislative branch are enacted by the Congress—
“(1)
as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the House of Representatives and the Senate, respectively, and as such they shall be considered as part of the rules of each House, respectively, or of that House to which they specifically apply, and such rules shall supersede other rules only to the extent that they are inconsistent therewith; and
“(2)
with full recognition of the constitutional right of either House to change such rules (so far as relating to such House) at any time, in the same manner, and to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of such House.”
Declaration of Purpose of 1990 Amendments
Pub. L. 101–280, § 1, May 4, 1990, 104 Stat. 149, provided that:
“It is the purpose of this joint resolution to make technical corrections in the Ethics Reform Act of 1989 [
Pub. L. 101–194, see Tables for classification].”
Definitions
Pub. L. 112–105, § 2, Apr. 4, 2012, 126 Stat. 291, provided that:
“In this Act [see Short Title of 2012 Amendment note set out above]:
“(1) Member of congress.—
The term ‘Member of Congress’ means a member of the Senate or House of Representatives, a Delegate to the House of Representatives, and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico.
“(2) Employee of congress.—The term ‘employee of Congress’ means—
“(A)
any individual (other than a Member of Congress), whose compensation is disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate or the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives; and
“(B)
any other officer or employee of the legislative branch (as defined in section 109(11) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (
5 U.S.C. App. 109(11))).
“(3) Executive branch employee.—The term ‘executive branch employee’—
“(B) includes—
“(ii)
the Vice President; and
“(iii)
an employee of the United States Postal Service or the Postal Regulatory Commission.
“(4) Judicial officer.—
The term ‘judicial officer’ has the meaning given that term under section 109(10) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (U.S.C. App. 109(10)).
“(5) Judicial employee.—
The term ‘judicial employee’ has the meaning given that term in section 109(8) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (
5 U.S.C. App. 109(8)).
“(6) Supervising ethics office.—
The term ‘supervising ethics office’ has the meaning given that term in section 109(18) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (
5 U.S.C. App. 109(18)).”