Drain the Swamp Act of 2017
Latest action · Mar 2, 2017 Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedFeb 1, 2017
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Drain the Swamp Act of 2017
This bill increases the ban on certain former executive branch officials, Members of Congress, and legislative staff within five years of termination of employment to knowingly make, with the intent to influence, any communication or appearance before an officer or employee of the executive branch, a Member of Congress or their staff, or any other legislative office on behalf of any other person (except the United States). The bill establishes penalties for such violations. The bill eliminates a similar two-year ban on certain senior executive branch officials.
The bill creates a lifetime ban on certain senior personnel of the executive branch (including independent agencies) from representing, aiding, or advising foreign entities.
The bill broadens the definition of lobbying activities in the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to also include consulting and advising. The bill amends the definition of lobbyist in the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to include individuals who spend at least 10% of their time engaged in lobbying services to one client in a 3-month period.
The scope of prohibitions on foreign nationals is expanded to include soliciting a contribution or donation in connection with a federal, state, or local election; to a political party; or for an electioneering communication.
Cosponsors 2
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jun 7, 2017 to Jun 21, 2017.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-IN | Todd Rokita | Jun 7, 2017 | |
| R-MT | Greg Gianforte | Jun 21, 2017 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Judiciary Committee | Referred Feb 1, 2017 |
| Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee | Referred Mar 2, 2017 | |
| House | Committee on House Administration | Referred Feb 1, 2017 |
Actions 3
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Mar 2, 2017Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
- Feb 1, 2017Introduced in House
- Feb 1, 2017Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 163, no. 17, February 1, 2017, page H878.
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To amend title 18, United States Code, to establish a uniform 5-year post-employment ban on the lobbying of any officer or employee of the executive branch or any Member, officer, or employee of Congress by former executive branch officials and former Members, officers, and employees of Congress, to establish a lifetime post-employment ban on lobbying on behalf of foreign governments by former senior executive branch officials, and for other purposes.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- Drain the Swamp Act of 2017
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Government Operations and Politics.
- Congressional officers and employees
- Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
- Federal officials
- Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
- Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
- Government Operations and Politics
- Members of Congress
- Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
- Public participation and lobbying
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Feb 1, 2017Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
