H.R. 6085

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6085 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6085

To prevent corruption by appropriately limiting donations for any 
public property, building, or fixture at the White House, the Naval 
Observatory, or certain other public property, for events on such 
property, or for monuments to living current or former Presidents, 
current or former Vice Presidents, or current or former employees or 
officers appointed by the President.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 18, 2025

Mr. Garcia of California introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in 
addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Transportation and 
Infrastructure, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To prevent corruption by appropriately limiting donations for any 
public property, building, or fixture at the White House, the Naval 
Observatory, or certain other public property, for events on such 
property, or for monuments to living current or former Presidents, 
current or former Vice Presidents, or current or former employees or 
officers appointed by the President.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Stop Ballroom Bribery Act''.

SEC. 2. DONATION RESTRICTIONS FOR CERTAIN PUBLIC PROPERTY LINKED TO 
PRESIDENT OR VICE PRESIDENT.

(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered project.--The term ``covered project'' means--
(A) the maintenance, acquisition, enhancement, 
improvement, alteration, demolition, or construction of 
any public property (including real property), 
building, or fixture located on or immediately adjacent 
to the grounds of the White House, the grounds of 
Number One Observatory Circle, or other public property 
intended for or dedicated to the use of the sitting 
President, the sitting Vice President, or a spouse or 
child of the sitting President or the sitting Vice 
President;
(B) the maintenance, acquisition, enhancement, 
improvement, alteration, demolition, or construction of 
a Federal monument or other structure on public 
property that names or honors a living current or 
former President, Vice President, or employee or 
officer appointed by the President; or
(C) an event hosted on the grounds of the White 
House, the grounds of Number One Observatory Circle, or 
on any other public property intended for or dedicated 
to the use of the sitting President, the sitting Vice 
President, or a spouse or child of the sitting 
President or the sitting Vice President.
(2) Donation.--The term ``donation'' means a gift, 
donation, bequest, or devise of anything of value, including 
services, whether made directly to the Federal Government or 
indirectly via another entity or person.
(3) Foreign government.--The term ``foreign government'' 
has the meaning given that term in section 7342 of title 5, 
United States Code.
(4) Lobbying activities.--The term ``lobbying activities'' 
has the meaning given that term in section 3 of the Lobbying 
Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1602).
(5) Nonprofit organization.--The term ``nonprofit 
organization'' means an organization that is described in 
paragraph (3) or (4) of section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such 
Code.
(b) Restrictions on Accepting Donations.--
(1) NPS and oge approval before acceptance or use of a 
donation for a covered project.--A donation for a covered 
project may be accepted or used by the Federal Government 
only--
(A) in accordance with an authority to accept gifts 
or reimbursements under existing law; and
(B) if the individual who is serving in the 
position of Director of the National Park Service, and 
who has been appointed to such position by the 
President, by and with the advice and consent of the 
Senate--
(i) makes a written determination, with the 
concurrence of the individual who is serving in 
the position of Director of the Office of 
Government Ethics, and who has been appointed 
to such position by the President, by and with 
the advice and consent of the Senate, that the 
donation complies with the restrictions under 
paragraph (2);
(ii) submits to the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate 
and the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform of the House of Representatives the 
determination described in clause (i); and
(iii) publishes the determination described 
in clause (i) in the Federal Register.
(2) Restrictions; requirements for donors.--
(A) Prohibited donations.--A donation for a covered 
project may not be accepted or used by an officer or 
employee of the United States, including the President 
and Vice President, or a non-Governmental agent 
operating on behalf of such an officer or employee, if 
the ultimate source of the donation, in part or in 
whole, is a person who--
(i) at the time the donation is made is, or 
at any time on or after the date on which the 
sitting President assumed the office of 
President was, involved in litigation with the 
Federal Government;
(ii) at the time the donation is made is, 
or at any time on or after the date on which 
the sitting President assumed the office of 
President was, the subject or target of an 
administrative investigation or other 
enforcement action by the Federal Government;
(iii) at the time the donation is made is 
seeking or has in effect a contract or other 
business relationship with the Federal 
Government;
(iv) at the time the donation is made is 
seeking a grant from the Federal Government or 
has received such grant for which the funds 
have not been fully expended, revoked, or 
depleted;
(v) at the time the donation is made is, or 
at any time on or after the date on which the 
sitting President assumed the office of 
President was, involved in lobbying activities 
targeting any part of the executive branch;
(vi) at the time the donation is made is 
seeking or requesting, or at any time on or 
after the date on which the sitting President 
assumed the office of President sought, 
requested, or received, a pardon from the 
President; or
(vii) at the time the donation is made is 
seeking, or at any time on or after the date on 
which the sitting President assumed the office 
of President sought, to be appointed to a 
position in the Federal Government by the 
President.
(B) Integrity of donation.--A donation for a 
covered project may not be accepted or used if the 
donation--
(i) includes as an actual or implied 
condition of receipt of the donation any 
benefit derived from the Federal Government;
(ii) has been coerced through the use of 
the authority or position of any officer or 
employee of the United States, including the 
President or the Vice President; or
(iii) would influence or appear to 
influence the performance of the 
responsibilities by any officer or employee of 
the executive branch of the Federal Government, 
including the President or Vice President, or 
would otherwise compromise the integrity or 
appearance of integrity of any part of the 
executive branch of the Federal Government.
(C) Prohibited solicitation.--An officer or 
employee of the Executive Office of the President, 
including the President and Vice President, or the 
spouse or child of the President or Vice President, may 
not solicit a donation for a covered project.
(D) Approval of foreign gifts and emoluments.--A 
donation for a covered project made by a foreign 
government may not be accepted unless Congress has 
approved the accepting of the donation.
(c) Post-Donation Restrictions.--
(1) Donor recognition limitations.--A donor name, donor 
logo, or other indication of the identity of a donor may not be 
displayed at any location described in subsection (a)(1) as 
recognition of the donation.
(2) Cooling-off period.--A person making a donation for a 
covered project may not engage in any lobbying activities 
directed at any officer or employee of the United States in a 
position in the executive branch, including the President or 
the Vice President, during the 2-year period beginning on the 
date of the donation.
(3) Conversion of donation to personal use.--No person may 
convert a donation to a covered project to the private use of 
the person or to the personal use of any other person.
(4) Disposition of leftover donations.--In addition to any 
other restriction on the disposition of unused funds by a 
nonprofit organization or other entity or person, the remaining 
balances of a donation for a covered project may not be 
expended for anything that directly and predictably benefits 
the President, the Vice President, a spouse or child of the 
President or the Vice President, an employee of the Executive 
Office of the President, or any officer appointed by the 
President.
(d) Transparency To Ensure Donations Are Disclosed and Prohibit 
Straw Donations.--
(1) Disclosing donor meetings.--
(A) In general.--In accordance with subparagraph 
(B), a person making a donation to or for the benefit 
of a covered project, directly or indirectly through 
another person, shall disclose to the Director of the 
National Park Service any meeting or other 
communication with the President, the Vice President, a 
spouse or child of the President or the Vice President, 
any other officer or employee of the United States, or 
any agent working on any of their behalf that occurs 
during the period beginning on the date that is 1 year 
before the date of the donation and ending on the date 
that is 1 year after the date of the donation, and the 
disclosure shall, for each such meeting, include the 
topics discussed and the date of the meeting.
(B) Timing of disclosure.--A person required to 
disclose a meeting or other communication under 
subparagraph (A) shall--
(i) with respect to a meeting or other 
communication occurring before the date of the 
applicable donation, make the disclosure 
required under subparagraph (A) not later than 
7 days after the date of the donation; or
(ii) with respect to a meeting or other 
communication occurring on or after the date of 
the applicable donation, make the disclosure 
required under subparagraph (A) not later than 
7 days after the meeting or other 
communication.
(2) Quarterly publication.--The Director of the National 
Park Service, in coordination with the heads of any other 
relevant agencies and entities, shall publish a quarterly 
report in the Federal Register listing each donation 
contributed to or for the benefit of a covered project, which 
shall include, for each donation--
(A) a brief description of the donation and the 
circumstances justifying acceptance;
(B) the date of acceptance;
(C) the identity of each person who--
(i) contributed to the donation; and
(ii) contributed an aggregate amount of 
more than $200 as a part of donations made 
during the applicable calendar quarter; and
(D) information regarding any meeting or other 
communication described in paragraph (1).
(3) Prohibition on straw donations.--With respect to any 
donation to a covered project, whether made directly or 
indirectly, it shall be unlawful for a person to knowingly--
(A) make the donation in the name of another 
person;
(B) permit the name of that person to be used to 
effect the donation by another person;
(C) accept such a donation that is made by one 
person in the name of another person; or
(D) direct, help, or assist any person in making 
such a donation in the name of another person.
(4) Prohibition on anonymous donations.--No donation for a 
covered project may be accepted if it is made on the condition 
that it be anonymous.
(5) Attestation by certain donors.--A donor employed by or 
closely affiliated with a person barred from making a donation 
under subsection (b)(2)(A) shall attest that the donor is not 
explicitly or implicitly making the donation on behalf of the 
person.
(e) Enforcement.--
(1) OGE regulations and disgorgement.--Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of 
the Office of Government Ethics shall publish regulations 
implementing the procedures under this section, which shall 
permit the Director to direct the return of any donation that 
violates any provision of this section at any point in time.
(2) Judicial review of oge determinations.--Any 
determination by the Director of the Office of Government 
Ethics under this section shall be subject to judicial review 
and the attorney general of a State or the Attorney General may 
bring an action in accordance with this subsection seeking 
judicial review of such a determination.
(3) Enforcement by state attorneys general.--The attorney 
general of a State may bring a civil action to redress a 
violation of this section in the United States District Court 
for the District of Columbia or in any district court of the 
United States with jurisdiction over any part of the United 
States served by that attorney general.
(4) Enforcement by the united states.--The Attorney General 
of the United States may bring a civil action or criminal 
prosecution to redress a violation of this section in the 
United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
(5) Civil and criminal penalties.--
(A) Civil.--
(i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii), 
any person who violates this section shall be 
subject to--
(I) a civil penalty that does not 
exceed the greater of $20,000 or an 
amount equal to the aggregate value of 
the donations involved in such 
violation; and
(II) an order requiring the person 
to disgorge any benefit derived from 
any donation involved in the violation.
(ii) Larger violations.--If the aggregate 
value of all donations involved in a violation 
of this section by a person during a calendar 
year exceeds $50,000, the person shall be 
subject to--
(I) a civil penalty that does not 
exceed the greater of $100,000 or the 
amount equal to the aggregate value of 
the donations involved in such 
violation; and
(II) an order requiring the person 
to disgorge any benefit derived from 
any donation involved in the violation.
(B) Criminal.--
(i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii), 
any person who knowingly and willfully violates 
this section shall be--
(I) fined under title 18, United 
States Code, imprisoned for not more 
than 1 year, or both; and
(II) subject to an order requiring 
the person to disgorge any benefit 
derived from any donation involved in 
the violation.
(ii) Larger violations.--If the aggregate 
value of all donations involved in a violation 
of this section by a person during a calendar 
year exceeds $50,000, the person shall be--
(I) fined under title 18, United 
States Code, imprisoned for not more 
than 5 years, or both; and
(II) subject to an order requiring 
the person to disgorge any benefit 
derived from any donation involved in 
the violation.
(6) Other relief.--In addition to the civil and criminal 
penalties described in paragraph (5), in an action brought 
under this subsection a court may grant a permanent or 
temporary injunction, restraining order, or other order, upon a 
showing that the person involved has likely committed a 
violation of this section.
(7) Period of limitations.--
(A) Civil.--A civil action under this subsection 
may not be commenced later than 10 years after the 
cause of action accrues.
(B) Criminal.--No person shall be prosecuted, 
tried, or punished for any offense under this 
subsection, unless the indictment is found or the 
information is instituted within 10 years after such 
offense shall have been committed.
(8) Rule of construction.--The imposition of a civil or 
criminal penalty under this subsection does not preclude any 
other criminal or civil statutory, common law, or 
administrative remedy, which is available by law to the United 
States or any other person.
(f) Severability.--If any provision of this section, or the 
application of a provision of this section to any person or 
circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this 
section, and the application of the provision to any other person or 
circumstance, shall not be affected thereby.
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