Contact: Madison Wiberg
Madison.Wiberg@mail.house.gov
Washington, D.C.— Today Congressman Mike Gallagher introduced two bills to get Members of Congress and senior government officials to work for the American people instead of special interests. The first bill, H.R. 1522, would ban Members of Congress, senior executive branch officials, and general and flag officers of the Armed Forces from lobbying on behalf of foreign interests. The second bill, H.R. 1523, would require federal political appointees to sign a binding ethics pledge restricting their ability to lobby their former colleagues.
“These common-sense changes would go a long way towards slowing the revolving door between government and special interests. Our most trusted leaders should be held to a higher standard. They should use their positions of power and influence to serve the American People, not foreign interests or the swamp,” said Rep. Gallagher.
This new legislation is a part of Rep. Gallagher’s broader effort to fix Congress. Last month, he introduced the Serve the People, Not the Swamp Act, a collection of common-sense Congressional reforms to prevent Congress from going into recess without first adopting a balanced federal budget; establish a 5-year ban on lobbying for Members of Congress and high-ranking executive branch officials; and terminate taxpayer-funded pensions for Members of Congress.
