Department of Defense Ethics and Anti-corruption Act of 2019

Department of Defense Ethics and Anti-corruption Act of 2019

This bill addresses the conduct of Department of Defense (DOD) officials regarding relationships with military contractors.

With respect to certain DOD officials involved in contracting, the bill increases the following: (1) the period during which an official leaving DOD and seeking compensation from a contractor must obtain an ethics opinion concerning post-employment restrictions, (2) the length of time such requests must be retained in a central repository, and (3) the frequency of Inspector General reviews of providing and retaining opinions.

Each procurement contract of a value exceeding $10 million must require the contractor to annually report information (including concerning lobbying activities) about former officials and military officers who received compensation within four years after leaving service. Such a contract shall include a clause prohibiting the contractor from receiving the compensation.

Contracts with contractors that received an average of more than $1 billion in revenue in the previous three years from DOD or the Department of Energy (related to the U.S. nuclear program) shall prohibit the employment or payment of certain DOD officials within four years of leaving DOD service.

In addition, the bill includes restrictions and conditions concerning:

• lobbying by former officials and officers;
• stock ownership and trading;
• employment that is subject to the emoluments clause of the Constitution;
• work by certain senior officials for a foreign entity (including work that conflicts with U.S. national security interests);
• financial disclosure by large prospective contractors; and
• public disclosure of information regarding the identification of general or flag officers and their finances and conduct.