Vindman Introduces Two Bills to Crack Down on Corruption and Strengthen Government Accountability

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Eugene Vindman (Va.-07) introduced two pieces of legislation that would crack down on corruption, strengthen government ethics standards, and ensure that public officials are held accountable for misconduct.

The two bills would close gaps in federal ethics and accountability laws by preventing lobbyists convicted of serious corruption-related offenses from holding senior positions in the executive branch and extending the period during which individuals can be prosecuted for lying to Congress.

"For too long, Washington has operated under a different set of rules, where well-connected insiders can abuse their positions of influence, mislead Congress, and evade accountability. That erodes public trust in our institutions and undermines the very foundation of our democracy. When individuals lie to Congress or exploit their connections for personal gain, there must be real consequences," said Vindman. "These bills will close dangerous loopholes in our ethics laws, strengthen congressional oversight, and make clear that no one is above the law. The American people deserve leaders who serve the public interest, and I will continue fighting to hold Washington to that standard."

The No Corrupt Lobbyists in Government Act would prohibit individuals who have been registered lobbyists within the past 10 years and have final criminal convictions for bribery, ethics violations or acting as unregistered foreign agents from serving in senior executive branch positions. The legislation would require current and prospective appointees to certify their eligibility and direct the Office of Government Ethics to screen candidates in coordination with the FBI and Department of Justice. Violators would face removal and financial penalties. Click here to read the full bill text.

The Honesty in Government Act would extend the statute of limitations for making false statements to Congress from five to 10 years. Congressional investigations can stretch across multiple presidential administrations, allowing individuals to evade accountability by delaying proceedings until the statute of limitations expires. The legislation would give prosecutors additional time to pursue cases involving false statements, concealment and fraudulent representations made during congressional oversight proceedings. Click here to read the full bill text.

BACKGROUND

This legislative package builds on Vindman's broader efforts to combat corruption and strengthen government accountability.

This Congress, Vindman introduced the Sell Your Stocks or Step Down Act, legislation requiring senior government officials to divest their individual stocks before taking office and eliminating a special capital gains tax break associated with those sales.

He also introduced the bipartisan No Profiting from Public Service Act - legislation to prohibit public officials from trading individual stocks and participating in prediction markets - and the bipartisan Banning Lobbying and Safeguarding Trust (BLAST) Act, which would prohibit members of Congress from lobbying Congress after leaving office.

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