# Plain Language Summary: Public Service Spending Integrity Act

This bill prevents top government officials and their families from profiting when the federal government spends money at businesses they own or control. The rule applies to the President, Vice President, Cabinet secretaries, and anyone else holding a Cabinet-level position designated by the President. It also extends to their immediate family members—spouses, children, parents, siblings, grandparents, and domestic partners.

Starting in 2024, federal agencies cannot spend taxpayer money buying goods or services from any business owned or controlled by these officials or their family members. The bill defines "ownership or control" pretty broadly: it covers anyone who sits on a company's board, owns more than half the voting shares, or benefits from a trust that controls more than half the company. This means an official can't use their government position to steer federal contracts or purchases to a family business, even indirectly through a trust arrangement. There's one narrow exception for security-related spending under the Presidential Protection Assistance Act, which allows for certain protective services.

The core idea is straightforward: when someone holds significant power over how federal money gets spent, they shouldn't be able to use that power to enrich themselves or their relatives. The bill's supporters argue this protects public trust in government by creating a clear wall between public service and personal financial gain. Without such rules, it would be easy for officials to direct lucrative government contracts to their own companies, creating obvious conflicts of interest that undermine confidence in whether government decisions are made fairly or just for personal profit.

Public Service Spending Integrity Act

Ruiz, Raul

Public Service Spending Integrity Act This bill restricts federal spending at businesses of the President, specified other officials, or their family members. Specifically, the bill prohibits federal funds from being obligated or expended for purposes of procuring goods or services at any business owned or controlled by a covered individual or family member of such individual, except for certain authorized security purposes. A covered individual is defined to include the President, the Vice President, the head of any executive department, and any individual occupying a position designated by the President as a cabinet-level position. No federal agency may enter into a contract with a business owned or controlled by a covered individual or family member. A business shall be deemed to be owned or controlled by a covered individual or family member if any such person (1) is a member of the board of directors or similar governing body of the business, (2) directly or indirectly owns or controls more than 50% of the voting shares of the business, or (3) is the beneficiary of a trust which owns or controls more than 50% of the business and can direct distributions under the terms of the trust.