--- kind: "section" citation: "22 U.S.C. § 3622" title: "22" title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse" number: "3622" heading: "Code of conduct for Commission personnel" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/3622" units: - "Chapter 51 — Panama Canal" - "Subchapter I — Administration and Regulations" - "Part 1" --- # §3622. Code of conduct for Commission personnel - (a) **Oath; compliance with laws of United States regarding duties and responsibilities of Federal employees—** Before assuming the duties of his office or employment, each member of the Board of the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) and each officer and employee of the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) shall take an oath to discharge faithfully the duties of his office or employment. All employees of the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) shall be subject to the laws of the United States regarding duties and responsibilities of Federal employees. - (b) **Adoption of code of conduct; time limit; contents—** Not later than 60 days after all the members of the Board of the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) have been appointed, the Board shall adopt a code of conduct applicable to the persons referred to in [subsection (a)](#a) of this section. The code of conduct shall contain provisions substantially equivalent to those contained in part 735 of title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations on October 1, 1979. The code of conduct shall, at a minimum, contain provisions substantially equivalent to the following provisions of law: - (1) the provisions of [chapter 11](/usc/18/chptI/ch11.md) of title 18, relating to bribery, graft, or conflicts of interest, as appropriate to the employees concerned; - (2) [section 7352 of title 5](/usc/5/7352.md); - (3) sections [207](/usc/18/207.md), [208](/usc/18/208.md), [285](/usc/18/285.md), [508](/usc/18/508.md), [641](/usc/18/641.md), [645](/usc/18/645.md), [1001](/usc/18/1001.md), [1917](/usc/18/1917.md), and [2071](/usc/18/2071.md) of title 18; - (4) section [1343](/usc/31/1343.md), [1344](/usc/31/1344.md), and [1349(b)](/usc/31/1349.md?p=b) of title 31; - (5) [chapter 131](/usc/5/chptIV/ch131.md) of title 5; and - (6) those provisions of the laws and regulations of the Republic of Panama which are substantially equivalent to those of the United States set forth in this subsection. - (c) **Investigations by Commission respecting violations; recommendations for suspension—** The [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) shall investigate any allegations regarding the violation of the code of conduct adopted pursuant to [subsection (b)](#b) of this section. The [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) may recommend that the President suspend from the performance of his duties any member of the Board of the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) or any officer or employee of the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2), pending judicial proceedings by appropriate authorities concerning such allegations. - (d) **Measures to insure compliance with code of conduct—** The President shall negotiate suitable arrangements with the Republic of Panama whereby each nation shall agree to take all measures within its legal authority to assure that members of the Board of the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) comply with the code of conduct established pursuant to [subsection (b)](#b) of this section. Without prejudice to such jurisdiction as the United States may have with respect to members of the Board, the provisions of law enumerated in [subsection (b)](#b) of this section shall be enforced with respect to members of the Board only in accordance with such arrangements. - (e) **Waiver of post-employment restrictions—** - (1) [Section 207 of title 18](/usc/18/207.md) does not apply to a covered individual with respect to acts done in carrying out official duties as an officer or employee of the [Panama Canal Authority](/usc/22/3602.md?p=d-2). - (2) For purposes of [paragraph (1)](#e-1), a covered individual is an officer or employee of the [Panama Canal Authority](/usc/22/3602.md?p=d-2) who was an officer or employee of the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) (other than the [Administrator](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=1)) and whose employment with the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) terminated at noon on the [Canal Transfer Date](/usc/22/3602.md?p=d-1). - (3) This subsection is effective as of the [Canal Transfer Date](/usc/22/3602.md?p=d-1). - (f) **Consent for acceptance of employment by Panama Canal Authority—** - (1) The Congress consents to the following persons accepting civil employment (and compensation for that employment) with the [Panama Canal Authority](/usc/22/3602.md?p=d-2) for which the consent of the Congress is required by the last paragraph of [section 9](/usc/22/9.md) of article I of the Constitution of the United States, relating to acceptance of emoluments, offices, or titles from a foreign government: - (A) Retired members of the [uniformed services](/usc/22/3641.md?p=2). - (B) Members of a reserve component of the armed forces. - (C) Members of the Commissioned Reserve Corps[^1] of the Public Health Service. - (2) The consent of the Congress under [paragraph (1)](#f-1) is effective without regard to subsection (b) of [section 908 of title 37](/usc/37/908.md) (relating to approval required for employment of Reserve and retired members by foreign governments). ## Footnotes [^1]: See Change of Name note below. ## Source credit (Pub. L. 96–70, title I, § 1112, Sept. 27, 1979, 93 Stat. 459; Pub. L. 105–85, div. C, title XXXV, §§ 3522, 3550(d)(2)(A), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 2064, 2074; Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(c)(31), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4358.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### Codification In subsec. (b)(4), “sections 1343, 1344, and 1349(b) of title 31” substituted for “section 5 of the Act of July 16, 1914 (31 U.S.C. 638a), as amended” on authority of Pub. L. 97–258, § 4(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1067, the first section of which enacted Title 31, Money and Finance. ### Amendments 2022—Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted “chapter 131 of title 5;” for “the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (92 Stat. 1824), as amended;”. 1997—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–85, § 3550(d)(2)(A), substituted “October 1, 1979” for “the effective date of this Act”. Subsecs. (e), (f). Pub. L. 105–85, § 3522, added subsecs. (e) and (f). ### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries ### Change of Name Reference to Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service deemed to be a reference to the Ready Reserve Corps, see section 204(c)(3) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. ### Executive Documents ### Delegation of Functions Functions vested in President by subsec. (d) of this section delegated to Secretary of State, see section 1–402 of Ex. Ord. No. 12215, May 27, 1980, 45 F.R. 36044, set out as a note under section 3601 of this title.