No Bribes for Politicians Act of 2025
No Bribes for Politicians Act of 2025 would overhaul ethics and disclosure rules for federal officials. The bill would require biannual financial disclosure reports for officers and employees covered by existing ethics laws (starting in 2026), expand reporting to include relatives of the President, Vice President, and Cabinet members, tighten rules on gifts used in conjunction with presidential duties, and impose new prohibitions on the President and Vice President’s business activities (including divestment requirements, ownership bans, and restrictions on name/likeness use and board/officer roles). It also adds civil penalties for violations. Overall, the bill aims to increase transparency, curb potential conflicts of interest, and tighten financial and business activity rules for top federal officials and their families.
Key Points
- 1Biannual financial disclosure requirement: Starting in 2026, officers or employees covered by section 13103(f) who work 60+ days in each six-month period must file a disclosure by October 15 (Jan 1–June 30 period) and by May 15 (July 1–Dec 30 period) each year, using the information in section 13104(a). The requirement applies to each 6-month period, with reporting aligned to the applicable period.
- 2Gifts tied to presidential duties: If a tangible gift of more than minimal value is deposited with an agency for official use with presidential duties, the gift may not be used and must be disposed of promptly by the agency under the bill’s procedures.
- 3Expanded disclosures to relatives of top officials: The reporting requirements would be expanded to require information about relatives of the President, Vice President, and Cabinet members in the reports, using a broader definition of “relative” (including extended family and in-laws).
- 4Prohibitions on presidential and vice-presidential business activities: New Section 13147 would prohibit the President and Vice President from owning any financial interest in for-profit entities, require divestment within 30 days of taking office, bar the President/VP and their spouses or dependent children from profiting from their name or likeness, and bar them from serving as officers, board members, or in any decision-making role in for-profit entities. Retirement accounts are exempt. A new civil penalty provision links violations to penalties under sections 13143, 13144, or the new 13147.
- 5Enforcement and structure: The bill would add 13147 to the civil-penalty framework and adjust the table of sections accordingly, strengthening enforcement for violations of the new prohibitions.