,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #bbgj  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #ab1     
#bjbc,mr4 ,grassley 7for himself1 ,mr4  
,peters1 ,mr4 ,padilla1 and ,mr4        
,lankford7 introduced the following     
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security
 and ,governmental ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  
,to establish and maintain a database   
within each agency for executive branch 
ethics records of noncareer appointees4 
#a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited
 as the ,executive ,branch              
,accountability and ,transparency ,act  
of #bjbc4  #b4 ,agency databases for    
publicly available government ethics    
records  7a7 ,definitions ,in this      
section3 7#a7 ,agency ,the term agency  
means each ,executive agency1 as defined
 in section #aje of title #e1 ,united   
,states ,code1 and each component of the
 ,executive ,office of the ,president1  
including those components established  
under title #c1 ,united ,states ,code4  

7#b7 ,covered employee  7,a7 ,inclusions
 ,the term covered employee includes the
 following individuals3 7i7 ,each       
individual who is-- 7,i7 a noncareer    
employee2 and  7,,ii7 is described in   
paragraphs 7#c7 through 7#h7 of section 
#acajc7;f7 of title #e1 ,united ,states 
,code4  7ii7 ,each individual serving in
 a position with respect to which a     
determination has been made under       
section #geaa7;b77#b7 of title #e1      
,united ,states ,code4  7iii7 ,each     
special ,government employee1 as defined
 in section #bjb7;a7 of title #ah1      
,united ,states ,code1 who is employed  
in the ,executive ,office of the        
,president1 other than a special        
,government employee serving solely on a
 ,federal advisory committee or         
presidential advisory committee4  7iv7  
,an individual who previously served in 
the ,federal ,government in a capacity  
described in clause 7i71 7ii71 or 7iii7 
during the preceding #aj-year period4   
7,b7 ,exclusion ,the term covered       

employee excludes any individual        
described in section #acajg7;a77#a7 of  
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4  7#c7  
,covered ethics record  7,a7 ,inclusions
 ,the term covered ethics record-- 7i7  
with respect to any individual1 means-- 
7,i7 each approval granted pursuant to  
subsection 7b7 or subsection 7c7 of     
section #ijh of title #cg1 ,united      
,states ,code2 and  7,,ii7 each report  
to ,congress required under section     
#ijh7;d7 of title #cg1 ,united ,states  
,code2 and  7ii7 with respect to a      
covered employee1 means-- 7,i7 each     
public financial disclosure report filed
 pursuant to section #acajc or section  
#acaje7l7 of title #e1 ,united ,states  
,code2  7,,ii7 each amendment to a      
public financial disclosure report filed
 pursuant to section #acajc or section  
#acaje7l7 of title #e1 ,united ,states  
,code2  7,,iii7 each waiver of-- 7aa7 a 
post-employment restriction1 pursuant to
 subsection 7c77#b77;,c7 or subsection  
7k7 of section #bjg of title #ah1       

,united ,states ,code2  7bb7 section    
#bjh7;a7 of title #ah1 ,united ,states  
,code1 that has been issued pursuant to 
section #bjh7;b77#a7 of title #ah1      
,united ,states ,code2  7cc7 the cover  
letter regarding a public financial     
disclosure requirement1 pursuant to     
section #acajc7;h77#b77;i7 of title #e1 
,united ,states ,code2  7dd7 the cover  
letter regarding the requirement to     
disclose a gift1 pursuant to section    
#acajd7;a77#b77;,c7 of title #e1 ,united
 ,states ,code2 and  7ee7 a provision of
 any regulation of the ,office of       
,government ,ethics1 supplemental agency
 ethics regulation1 or executive order  
pertaining to ,government ethics1 or any
 successor thereto2  7,,iv7 each written
 authorization of an individual to      
participate in a matter from which      
recusal would otherwise be required     
under any provision of law1 regulation1 
executive order1 or policy pertaining to
 ,government ethics and applicable to   
the individual as an employee of the    

executive branch2  7,v7 each written    
approval or written authorization       
permitting an individual to accept a    
gift from an outside source that would  
otherwise be prohibited under section   
#gcec of title #e1 ,united ,states      
,code1 or any other provision of law1   
regulation1 executive order1 or policy  
pertaining to government ethics and     
applicable to the individual as an      
employee of the executive branch2       
7,,vi7 each written determination-- 7aa7
 that a position may be excluded from   
otherwise applicable public financial   
disclosure requirements1 pursuant to    
section #acajc7;f77#e7 of title #e1     
,united ,states ,code2  7bb7 that an    
employee of the executive branch1 or the
 spouse or minor child of an employee of
 the executive branch1 must divest a    
financial interest2 or  7cc7 regarding  
an individual that is required to be    
made pursuant to any other provision of 
law1 regulation1 executive order1 or    
policy pertaining to ,government ethics 

and applicable to the individual as an  
employee or former employee of the      
executive branch2  7,,vii7 each written 
ethics agreement1 recusal1 or screening 
arrangement pertaining to employment in 
the executive branch2  7,,viii7 each    
record of the completion by a           
presidential appointee of ethics        
training required under a regulation of 
the ,office of ,government ,ethics2     
7,,ix7 each certificate of divestiture  
issued pursuant to section #ajdc of the 
,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf and   
each request that resulted in the       
issuance of a certificate of            
divestiture2  7,x7 each qualified blind 
trust agreement and each record         
described in section #acajd7;f77#e77;,d7
 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code2    
7,,xi7 each record submitted pursuant to
 section #acajc7;b77#a7 of title #e1    
,united ,states ,code1 for the purpose  
of making current1 with respect to      
income and honoraria1 a financial       
disclosure filed pursuant to that       

paragraph2  7,,xii7 each notice         
submitted pursuant to section #acaaa of 
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 and any
 certification by a ,senate-confirmed   
presidential appointee as to compliance 
with an ethics agreement1 whether       
submitted to the respective agency1 the 
,office of ,government ,ethics1 or the  
,senate2  7,,xiii7 any written opinion  
issued pursuant to section #hdg of the  
,national ,defense ,authorization ,act  
for ,fiscal ,year #bjjh 7,public ,law   
#aaj-aha2 #aj ,u4,s4,c4 #agja note71    
except that the agency may redact the   
name of an individual or organization   
with whom an individual has not yet     
accepted an offer of employment or      
compensation2  7,,xiv7 any notification 
filed pursuant to section #ag of the    
,,stock ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 #acajc note71
 except that the agency may withhold the
 public release of any such notification
 unless and until such time as the      
employee has accepted an offer of       
employment or compensation from an      

individual or organization that is the  
subject of the notification2  7,,xv7    
each certification made pursuant to--   
7aa7 section #bjc7;e7 of title #ah1     
,united ,states ,code2  7bb7 section    
#bje7;f7 of title #ah1 ,united ,states  
,code2 or  7cc7 section #bjg7;j77#e7 of 
title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code2 and   
7,,xvi7 any other category of records   
that the ,director of the ,office of    
,government ,ethics determines is       
appropriate for inclusion in the        
database of an agency under this ,act4  
7,b7 ,exclusions ,the term covered      
ethics record excludes-- 7i7 classified 
information1 as defined in section #gih 
of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code2    
7ii7 the subject of any ongoing law     
enforcement matter that1 in the opinion 
of the agency1 requires the information 
or record to be kept confidential2      
7iii7 information1 including any        
confidential financial disclosure       
report1 filed pursuant to section #acaji
 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1    

except that such exclusion shall not be 
construed to exclude from inclusion in  
any database established under this     
,act1 or to authorize redaction of1 any 
conflict of interest waiver issued to   
the filer of the confidential financial 
disclosure report2 or  7iv7             
individualized ethics counseling or     
advice concerning an interpretation of  
applicable legal requirements that has  
been provided by an ethics official to  
an individual1 except that such         
information or record shall not be      
excluded if such information or record  
is a covered record under subparagraph  
7,a74  7#d7 ,noncareer employee ,the    
term noncareer employee means an        
individual who is-- 7,a7 serving in a   
position to which the ,president        
appointed the individual 7without regard
 to whether the advice and consent of   
the ,senate was required with respect to
 that appointment71 other than an       
individual who is-- 7i7 a member of a   
uniformed service1 as that term is      

defined in section #baj7m7 of the       
,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#daj7m772 or  7ii7 a member of the      
,foreign ,service serving under a career
 appointment1 as described in section   
#cja of the ,foreign ,service ,act of   
#aihj 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #cida72  7,b7 a    
noncareer appointee1 as that term is    
defined in section #cacb7;a7 of title   
#e1 ,united ,states ,code2  7,c7 serving
 in a position in a ,federal executive  
system that is comparable to the ,senior
 ,executive ,service1 the appointment to
 which is not made through merit-based  
procedures1 such as a position in the   
,transportation ,security ,executive    
,service2 or  7,d7 serving in a position
 with respect to which a determination  
has been made under section             
#geaa7;b77#b7 of title #e1 ,united      
,states ,code4  7b7 ,specifications of  
databases ,not later than #abj days     
after the date of enactment of this     
,act1 the ,director of the ,office of   
,government ,ethics shall publish       

guidance for a searchable1 sortable     
database created by each agency through 
which members of the public can access  
covered ethics records and that shall   
each be-- 7#a7 hosted on an official    
website of each agency without charge   
and without a requirement that members  
of the public register for access2  7#b7
 accessible through an application      
programming interface2  7#c7 fully      
compliant with-- 7,a7 section #ejh of   
the ,rehabilitation ,act of #aigc 7#bi  
,u4,s4,c4 #gid;d72 and  7,b7 the most   
recent ,web ,content ,accessibility     
,guidelines 7or any successor           
guidelines72 and  7#d7 accessible       
through the website of each agency and  
through a single webpage operated by the
 ,office of ,government ,ethics4  7c7   
,assembly of covered ethics records     
,except as provided in subsection 7f71  
the head of each agency shall-- 7#a7 not
 later than #bgj days after publication 
of guidance under subsection 7b71       
compile electronic copies of covered    

ethics records that originated with the 
agency1 in such format and through such 
means as is necessary to permit their   
inclusion in the database of the agency 
pursuant to the requirements published  
under subsection 7b72 and  7#b7 ensure  
that the contents of all such records   
are machine-readable and compliant with 
the requirements published under        
subsection 7b74  7d7 ,establishment of  
databases ,not later than #a year after 
the date on which the ,director of the  
,office of ,government ,ethics publishes
 the guidance under subsection 7b71 each
 agency shall create a database that    
complies with all requirements under the
 guidance published under subsection    
7b74  7e7 ,applicability of other       
inspection procedures  7#a7 ,in general 
,subject to paragraph 7#b71 no          
identifier shall be required to search  
or sort the data contained in the       
databases established pursuant to       
subsection 7d74  7#b7 ,downloading data 
,a login protocol that includes the name

 of the user shall be utilized by any   
person downloading data contained in the
 records compiled pursuant to subsection
 7c74  7#c7 ,inspection of reports ,for 
purposes of this section1 section       
#acajg7;b7 of title #e1 ,united ,states 
,code1 shall not apply to any records   
compiled pursuant to subsection 7c74    
7f7 ,redactions  7#a7 ,contents of      
reports ,nothing in this section shall  
be construed to permit the redaction of 
any information required to be released 
pursuant to section #acajd of title #e1 
,united ,states ,code4  7#b7            
,prohibitions ,covered ethics records   
may not be redacted except to the extent
 necessary to-- 7,a7 ensure the         
exclusion of information described in   
subsection 7a77#c77;,b72  7,b7 prevent  
the release of trade secrets or         
commercial information that is          
privileged or confidential1 unless the  
disclosure of such information is       
required pursuant to section #acajd of  
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code2 or     

7,c7 prevent the release of information1
 other than information required to be  
reported under section #acajd of title  
#e1 ,united ,states ,code1 that1 in the 
opinion of the agency1 poses an         
identifiable risk to the safety of an   
individual1 such as a street address1   
the name of a minor1 or a brokerage     
account number4  7g7 ,records predating 
establishment of the database  7#a7     
,search for older information ,not later
 than #ah months after the publication  
of guidance under subsection 7b71 each  
agency shall complete a search          
reasonably calculated to find covered   
ethics records that were created during 
the #i-year period preceding the date of
 enactment of this ,act4  7#b7 ,included
 information and certification ,each    
search carried out pursuant to paragraph
 7#a7 shall include all materials in the
 possession of the ethics office of an  
agency or readily accessible materials  
in any other office within the agency   
that the designated agency ethics       

official certifies in writing is the    
most likely office to possess covered   
ethics records4  7#c7 ,exclusion from   
search ,in carrying out this subsection1
 each agency shall exclude information  
described in subsection 7a77#c77;,b7    
from the search carried out pursuant to 
paragraph 7#a74  7#d7 ,report ,not later
 than #cj days after the completion of  
the search carried out pursuant to      
paragraph 7#a71 each designated agency  
ethics official shall provide the       
,director of the ,office of ,government 
,ethics with a report that describes--  
7,a7 the scope of the search and steps  
undertaken to identify information2     
7,b7 a copy of the certification        
required under paragraph 7#b72  7,c7 the
 best estimate as to the completeness of
 the collection of information provided 
to the ,director of the ,office of      
,government ,ethics2  7,d7 an           
identification of any categories of     
information known to the agency that the
 agency was unable to find2 and  7,e7 a 

certification signed by the designated  
agency ethics official affirming that   
the agency made reasonable efforts in   
good faith to identify and obtain       
covered ethics records4  7#e7           
,publication ,the ,director of the      
,office of ,government ,ethics shall    
publish the report under paragraph 7#d7 
on the official website of the ,office  
of ,government ,ethics4  7h7 ,removal of
 records ,notwithstanding any other law 
regarding the disposition of records or 
information1 all covered ethics records 
relating to noncareer employees that are
 required to be included in the database
 of an agency pursuant to this section  
shall remain publicly available through 
the database for a period of not less   
than #aj years after the date on which  
the covered ethics record is first      
published in the database4  7i7 ,reports
  7#a7 ,initial report ,not later than  
#cj days after the establishment of a   
database under subsection 7d71 the      
relevant designated agency ethics       

official shall provide the ,director of 
the ,office of ,government ,ethics with 
a report that certifies the completeness
 of records in the database of the      
agency and any information that is known
 to be incomplete under the guidance    
published under subsection 7b74  7#b7   
,annual reports ,based on the           
information collected under subsection  
7g77#d71 and as necessary under section 
#bfch4bjg of title #e1 ,code of ,federal
 ,regulations1 the ,director of the     
,office of ,government ,ethics shall    
report to the ,committee on ,homeland   
,security and ,governmental ,affairs of 
the ,senate and the ,committee on       
,oversight and ,accountability of the   
,house of ,representatives regarding    
compliance with the requirements under  
this ,act each year until each agency   
has complied with subsections 7d7 and   
7g74  7j7 ,severability ,if any         
provision of this ,act or the           
application of such provision to any    
person or circumstance is held to be    

unconstitutional1 the remainder of this 
,act1 and the application of the        
remaining provisions of this ,act to any
 person or circumstance1 shall not be   
affected4