Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “No Self-Promotion with Public Dollars Act”.
No Self-Promotion with Public Dollars Act
A BILL
To prohibit Cabinet Members and senior executive political appointees from using taxpayer funds to hire political consulting, advertising, and marketing firms, from expediting competitive open bidding processes to contract for official advertisements, and from using official advertisements for self-promotion.
Sec. 2 Definitions
In this Act:
Cabinet Member— The term “Cabinet Member” means—
an individual serving in a position at level I of the Executive Schedule under section 5312 of title 5, United States Code; and
any other individual who occupies a position designated by the President as a Cabinet-level position.
Financial relationship— The term “financial relationship” means any relationship in which financial compensation is derived directly or indirectly from a pecuniary interest.
Official advertisement— The term “official advertisement” means an advertisement sponsored by the executive branch to communicate any policy priority of a Government entity, including of a Federal agency or department or a presidential administration.
Political advertising and marketing firm— The term political advertising and marketing firm means a professional business that is eligible for a contract with the Government that is dedicated to the creation and execution of promotional materials and marketing for the clients of the business, including the Government.
Political consulting firm— The term “political consulting firm” means a professional services company that is eligible for a contract with the Government to provide advice, feedback, strategy, and skills.
Senior executive political appointee— The term senior executive political appointee means an individual who is—
employed in a position described in sections 5312 through 5316 of title 5, United States Code (relating to the Executive Schedule);
a limited term appointee, limited emergency appointee, or noncareer appointee in the Senior Executive Service, as defined under paragraphs (5), (6), and (7), respectively, of section 3132(a) of title 5, United States Code; or
employed in a position of a confidential or policy-determining character under schedule C of subpart C of part 213 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation.
Special Government employee— The term “special Government employee” means a special Government employee, as defined in section 202(a) of title 18, United States Code, who is employed in the executive branch.
Sec. 3 Prohibition on taxpayer-funded political consulting firms and political advertising and marketing firms
A Cabinet Member may not use any funds authorized or appropriated by Federal law to hire a political consulting firm or political advertising and marketing firm to develop and disseminate any official advertisement relating to the position of the Cabinet Member, the agency or department of which the Cabinet Member is the head, or the official duties of the Cabinet Member if—
the Cabinet Member is an officer or employee of the political consulting firm or political advertising and marketing firm;
the Cabinet Member has a financial relationship with the political consulting firm or political advertising and marketing firm; or
any senior executive political appointee or special Government employee who reports to the Cabinet Member or who is employed by the agency or department of which the Cabinet Member is the head has a financial relationship with the political consulting firm or political advertising and marketing firm.
Sec. 4 Prohibition on expediting open bidding for official advertisements
Except as otherwise provided by existing Federal law, a Cabinet Member shall, when entering into a contract for an official advertisement, comply with all applicable requirements related to the full and open competitive procedures required under chapter 33 of title 41, United States Code, and part 6 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation.
Sec. 5 Prohibition on self-promotion through official advertisements
A Cabinet Member may not use any official advertisement for the primary purpose of self-promotion.