,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #eege  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september #bi1
 #bjbf,mr4 ,merkley 7for himself1 ,mr4  
,whitehouse1 ,ms4 ,warren1 and ,mr4     
,welch7 introduced the following bill2  
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on the ,judiciary  ,a ,,bill
  ,to amend title #ah1 ,united ,states  
,code1 to establish criminal penalties  
for gratuities given to ,state and local
 public officials4  #a4 ,short title    
,this ,act may be cited as the ,stop    
,corrupt ,gratuities ,act4  #b4         
,prohibition on gratuities given to     
state and local public officials  7a7   
,in general ,section #fff of title #ah1 
,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7
 in subsection 7a71 in the matter       
preceding paragraph 7#a71 by striking   
7b7 and inserting 7c72  7#b7 by         
redesignating subsections 7b71 7c71 and 
7d7 as subsections 7c71 7d71 and 7e71   
respectively2  7#c7 by inserting after  
subsection 7a7 the following3  7b7      

,gratuities ,whoever1 if the            
circumstance described in subsection 7c7
 of this section exists1 otherwise than 
as provided by law for the proper       
discharge of official duty-- 7#a7 being 
an agent of an organization1 or of a    
,state1 local1 or ,indian tribal        
government1 or any agency thereof1      
solicits or demands for the benefit of  
any person1 or accepts or agrees to     
accept1 anything of value from any      
person1 intending to be rewarded in     
connection with any business1           
transaction1 or series of transactions  
of such organization1 government1 or    
agency involving anything of value of   
#e1jjj or more2 or  7#b7 gives1 offers1 
or agrees to give1 anything of value to 
any person1 with intent to reward an    
agent of an organization or of a ,state1
 local or ,indian tribal government1 or 
any agency thereof1 in connection with  
any business1 transaction1 or series of 
transactions of such organization1      
government1 or agency involving anything

 of value of #e1jjj or more2  shall be  
fined under this title1 imprisoned not  
more than #b years1 or both4  2 and     
7#d7 in subsection 7c71 as so           
redesignated1 by striking subsection 7a7
 and inserting subsections 7a7 and 7b74 
7b7 ,conforming amendments  7#a7        
,headings ,section #fff of title #ah1   
,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7,a7
 in the section heading1 by striking    
,theft or bribery and inserting ,theft1 
bribery1 or gratuities2  7,b7 in        
subsection 7a71 by striking ,whoever and
 inserting ,bribes4--,whoever2  7,c7 in 
subsection 7c71 as so redesignated1 by  
striking ,the and inserting ,covered    
circumstance4--,the2  7,d7 in subsection
 7d71 as so redesignated1 by striking   
,this and inserting ,exception for      
salary1 wages1 and fees4--,this2 and    
7,e7 in subsection 7e71 as so           
redesignated1 by striking ,as and       
inserting ,definitions4--,as4  7#b7     
,table of sections ,the table of        
sections for chapter #ca of title #ah1  

,united ,states ,code1 is amended by    
striking the item relating to section   
#fff and inserting the following3  #fff4
 ,theft1 bribery1 or gratuities         
concerning programs receiving ,federal  
funds4  4