Overview
Title
To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit former Members and elected officers of Congress from lobbying Congress at any time after leaving office, to prohibit the use of funds for official travel expenses of Members of Congress and legislative branch employees for airline accommodations other than coach class, to eliminate automatic pay adjustments for Members of Congress, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
The "HUMBLE Act" is a plan to make rules for people in Congress so they can't become "helpers" (lobbyists) trying to change new rules for others when they leave. It also says they should fly in the less fancy seats on planes and stops them from getting a regular money raise each year.
Summary AI
H.R. 2624, known as the "Halt Unchecked Member Benefits with Lobbying Elimination Act" or the "HUMBLE Act," seeks to implement several reforms concerning members of Congress. It prevents former members and officers of Congress from lobbying at any time after leaving office. It restricts the use of government funds for air travel by members and legislative employees to only coach-class accommodations, with certain exceptions. Additionally, the bill eliminates certain perks granted to former Representatives, prohibits them from owning individual stocks and serving on boards of for-profit entities, and calls for the end of automatic pay increases for Congress members.
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AnalysisAI
The bill, officially titled the "Halt Unchecked Member Benefits with Lobbying Elimination Act" or the "HUMBLE Act," seeks to implement significant changes in ethical standards and accountability measures for Members of Congress. It addresses various aspects of post-office activities, financial interests, compensation, and official benefits associated with serving in Congress.
General Summary of the Bill
The HUMBLE Act proposes several reforms aimed at reducing potential conflicts of interest and misuses of taxpayer funds by Members of Congress and related personnel. Key measures include:
Prohibition on Former Members Lobbying Congress: The bill seeks to prevent former Members and elected officers of Congress from engaging in lobbying activities once they leave office.
Restrictions on Travel Expenses: It prohibits using funds for airline accommodations above coach class for Members of Congress and legislative employees.
Elimination of Certain Benefits for Former Members: Access to certain perks and facilities for former Members of the House of Representatives would be restricted unless these are available to the general public.
Ban on Owning Individual Stocks: Members of the House would be prohibited from owning individual stocks, limiting potential conflicts of interests.
Elimination of Automatic Pay Raises: The bill repeals automatic salary adjustments for Members, tying any pay raises to legislative approval instead.
Prohibition on Serving on For-Profit Boards: Members of the House would be restricted from serving on the boards of for-profit organizations to avoid conflicts of interest.
Summary of Significant Issues
Several pressing issues arise from the bill:
Enforcement Challenges: Particularly in the provision banning post-office lobbying, ambiguities such as what constitutes "intent to influence" may complicate enforcement and lead to potential legal challenges.
Clarity on Financial Restrictions: The prohibition on stock ownership lacks detail on exceptions for blind trusts or mutual funds, which could make compliance difficult for legislators who have existing investments.
Delayed Implementation Timelines: The bill sets some reforms, such as stock ownership restrictions, to take effect years in the future, which could delay addressing current ethical concerns.
Potential Inefficiencies from Travel Restrictions: The ban on non-coach-class travel may result in inefficiencies, particularly on long flights, potentially affecting the productivity of Congress members.
Lack of Waiver Criteria: The section allowing certain privileges for former Members lacks specific criteria for waivers, potentially leading to arbitrary decisions.
Impact on the Public and Stakeholders
Public Impact
Broadly, the HUMBLE Act aims to tighten ethical standards and promote accountability among Members of Congress. By reducing the influence of former Members on legislative processes through lobbying bans, the bill attempts to curb undue influence from former insiders. Further, eliminating automatic pay raises and stock ownership for Members may increase public trust in legislators' commitment to serving the public interest.
Impact on Stakeholders
Current Members of Congress: Stakeholders directly affected include current Members who might see increased scrutiny and a reduction in certain privileges and financial opportunities. The policy could necessitate changes in personal financial management and travel logistics for Members.
Former Members of Congress: Those leaving office will face new restrictions on lobbying activities and reduced access to congressional benefits, which could impact career opportunities and lifestyle post-term.
Legislative Employees: Staff and personnel may face logistical challenges due to new travel restrictions, which could affect morale and operational efficiency, particularly for those frequently traveling on legislative business.
The HUMBLE Act represents a concerted effort to enhance transparency and accountability within Congress, though its provisions will require careful implementation and monitoring to ensure they achieve the intended ethical improvements while addressing the outlined issues.
Issues
The prohibition in Section 2 on former Members and officers of Congress from lobbying raises enforcement and practical implementation questions. Enforcement may be complicated by the ambiguity of terms like 'knowingly makes' and 'intent to influence,' potentially causing legal challenges and loopholes.
Section 5's restriction on Members of the House owning individual stocks lacks clarity on exceptions such as blind trusts or mutual funds, which might make it overly restrictive. This issue has significant implications for ethical standards and potential conflicts of interest for legislators.
The effective date for Section 5 is set several years in the future, which might delay addressing the potential conflicts of interest issues it aims to prevent. This delay could be seen as a lack of urgency in reforming financial transparency and accountability for Members.
Section 3's prohibition on using funds for airline accommodations other than coach class could lead to inefficiencies or discomfort on extended flights for Members and legislative employees, potentially impacting their performance and work efficiency.
The lack of specificity in Section 4 regarding criteria and oversight for waivers of benefits by the Speaker and the minority leader could lead to arbitrary or biased decision-making, undermining accountability and transparency.
Section 6's elimination of automatic pay adjustments for Members of Congress introduces ambiguity around the effective date with the term 'after the first general election for Federal office,' potentially confusing the implementation timeline.
Section 7 does not define 'for-profit entity,' leaving room for differing interpretations, and lacks specific penalties for Members who might violate this prohibition, which could weaken enforcement and the impact of ethical guidelines.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of the bill provides the short title, stating the Act can be referred to as the "Halt Unchecked Member Benefits with Lobbying Elimination Act" or simply the "HUMBLE Act".
2. Prohibiting former Members and officers of Congress from lobbying Congress Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section proposes changes to U.S. law that would prevent former Senators, House Members, and elected officers of Congress from lobbying Congress after they leave office. It also updates specific language related to former congressional staff, clarifying that the rule only applies to those who leave employment after the law is enacted.
3. Prohibiting use of funds for official travel expenses of Members of Congress and legislative branch employees for airline accommodations other than coach class Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
In this section, Congress prohibits the use of official travel funds for Members of Congress and legislative branch employees to purchase airline tickets that aren't coach class, with certain exceptions aligning with federal regulations. This rule takes effect starting fiscal year 2026 and defines terms like "coach-class accommodations" and "Member of Congress."
4. Benefits and services provided to former Members of the House of Representatives Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section outlines that former Members of the House of Representatives will not have access to certain benefits or services unless these are available to the general public. However, the Speaker and the minority leader can jointly decide, on a case-by-case basis, to allow certain benefits or services, and any such decision must be published in the Congressional Record within 24 hours.
5. Prohibiting Members of House of Representatives from owning individual stocks Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The bill proposes an amendment to the rules of the House of Representatives that would prevent members, delegates, and resident commissioners from owning shares of any individual corporation. This amendment would come into effect just before noon on January 3, 2027.
6. Elimination of automatic pay adjustments for Members of Congress Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
In this section, the automatic pay raises for Members of Congress are removed by repealing certain parts of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946. The changes will take effect for pay periods starting after the first general election following this law's enactment.
7. Prohibiting Members of the House of Representatives from serving on boards of for-profit entities Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The amendment to Rule XXIII of the House of Representatives prohibits any Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner from serving on the board of directors of a for-profit entity. This rule change ensures that they focus solely on their congressional duties without conflicts of interest.