Federal Manager's Daily Report

revolving door federal government Image: YuryKara/Shutterstock.com

Legislation (HR-6759) has been offered in the House to strengthen several “revolving door” restrictions laid out in federal ethics policies, including for federal employees involved in certain contracting decisions as well as for senior officials in general.

The provisions mirror those contained in a wider ethics bill (HR-1) that has not progressed farther since its passage through the House early last year.

Among the provisions would be to prohibit a federal procurement officer who leaves government from accepting any compensation for two years—effectively an employment bar—from any company to which the officer had awarded a contract. It also would mandate that waivers of ethical requirements be disclosed to the public and prohibit senior officials who leave government from attempting to influence employees of their former agencies for two years.

It further would ban private companies from making “golden parachute” payments that reward former employees for joining the government; strengthen recusal requirements to prevent senior government officials from taking actions that benefit their former employers or clients; and prohibit senior government officials from lobbying the agencies they worked at for two years after they leave federal employment, instead of the current one year.

Keep Ethics in Mind in Virus Response, OGE Tells Agencies (April 30)

Direct Hire Authority Authorized for Range of DoD Occupations (April 28)

Concerns Raised about Service Contractors’ Role at DHS (March 11)

Who Actually Owns that Defense Contractor? GAO Advises Closer Look (Nov 29)

Federal Manager’s Handbook, 6th Ed.