,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #bgbb  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,october #bi1  
#bjai,ms4 ,ernst 7for herself and ,mr4  
,paul7 introduced the following bill2   
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,homeland ,security and  
,governmental ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to  
prohibit agencies from using ,federal   
funds for publicity or propaganda       
purposes1 and for other purposes4  #a4  
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,stop ,wasteful ,advertising by the 
,government ,act or the ,,swag ,act4    
#b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act-- 7#a7   
the term advertising means the placement
 of messages in media that are intended 
to inform or persuade an audience1      
including placement in television1      
radio1 a magazine1 a newspaper1 digital 
media1 direct mail1 an exhibit1 and a   
billboard2  7#b7 the term agency has the
 meaning given the term in section #eea 
of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code2     
7#c7 the term covert propaganda means   

propaganda communications by an agency  
that--  7,a7 fail to disclose the role  
of the agency as the source of          
information2 or  7,b7 are misleading as 
to the origin of the communications2    
7#d7 the term mascot-- 7,a7 means an    
individual1 animal1 or object adopted by
 an agency as a symbolic figure to      
represent the agency or the mission of  
the agency2 and  7,b7 includes a        
costumed character2  7#e7 the term      
public relations means communications by
 an agency that are directed to the     
public1 including activities dedicated  
to maintaining the image of the         
governmental unit or maintaining or     
promoting understanding and favorable   
relations with the community or the     
public2  7#f7 the term purely partisan  
materials means materials designed to   
aid a political party or candidate2     
7#g7 the term self-aggrandizement means 
publicity of a nature tending to        
emphasize the importance of the agency  
or activity in question2 and  7#h7 the  

term swag-- 7,a7 means a product or     
merchandise distributed at no cost with 
the sole purpose of advertising or      
promoting an agency1 organization1      
program1 or agenda2  7,b7 includes      
blankets1 buttons1 candy1 clothing1     
coloring books1 cups1 fidget spinners1  
hats1 holiday ornaments1 jar grip       
openers1 keychains1 koozies1 magnets1   
neckties1 novelties1 snuggies1 stickers1
 stress balls1 stuffed animals1         
tchotchkes1 thermoses1 tote bags1       
trading cards1 and writing utensils2 and
  7,c7 does not include-- 7i7 an item   
presented as honorary or informal       
recognition award1 such as a challenge  
coin or medal issued for sacrifice or   
meritorious service2  7ii7 a brochure or
 pamphlet purchased or distributed for  
informational purchases2 or  7iii7 an   
item distributed for diplomatic         
purposes1 including a gift for a foreign
 leader4  #c4 ,prohibitions2 public     
relations and advertising spending  7a7 
,prohibitions ,except as provided in    

subsection 7c71 and unless otherwise    
expressly authorized by law-- 7#a7 an   
agency1 a contractor of the ,federal    
,government1 or another entity of the   
,federal ,government may not1 directly  
or indirectly1 use ,federal funds for   
publicity or propaganda purposes within 
the ,united ,states1 including the use  
of ,federal funds for                   
self-aggrandizement1 covert propaganda1 
or purely partisan materials2  7#b7 an  
agency or other entity of the ,federal  
,government may not use ,federal funds  
to purchase or otherwise acquire or     
distribute swag2 and  7#c7 an agency or 
other entity of the ,federal ,government
 may not use ,federal funds to          
manufacture or use a mascot to promote  
an agency1 organization1 program1 or    
agenda4  7b7 ,public relations and      
advertising spending ,each agency shall1
 as part of the annual budget           
justification submitted to ,congress1   
report on the public relations and      
advertising spending of the agency for  

the preceding fiscal year4  7c7         
,exceptions ,subsection 7a7 shall not   
apply with respect to-- 7#a7 recruitment
 relating to--  7,a7 enlistment or      
employment with the ,armed ,forces2 or  
7,b7 employment with the ,federal       
,government2  7#b7 a mascot that is     
declared the property of the ,united    
,states under a provision of law1       
including under section #b of ,public   
,law #ic-cah 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ehjp-#a72  
7#c7 a mascot relating to the ,armed    
,forces of the ,united ,states2 or  7#d7
 an item distributed by the ,bureau of  
the ,census to assist the ,bureau in    
conducting a census of the population of
 the ,united ,states4