On April 10, 2025, U.S. Representatives Ro Khanna (CA-17), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Summer Lee (PA-12) introduced the Drain the Swamp Act, a comprehensive legislative package aimed at restoring ethics in government, curbing lobbying influence, and reinforcing merit-based hiring in the federal workforce.

The proposed legislation seeks to codify key ethics rules, originally implemented by President Biden via executive order but rescinded by President Trump upon his return to office. According to a statement from Rep. Khanna’s office, the Trump administration rolled back several safeguards, including prohibitions on gifts from lobbyists and measures designed to minimize conflicts of interest.

Nearly 70 percent of Americans believe corruption is a major issue in the federal government, the statement noted. The Drain the Swamp Act is designed to address this concern by embedding ethics protections into law, ensuring they cannot be dismantled by future executive actions.

“President Trump promised to drain the swamp, yet one of the first things he did in office was reverse President Biden’s executive order that banned White House officials from accepting gifts from lobbyists. The American people should feel confident that administration officials are working for them, not for special interests,” said Rep. Khanna, an Indian American.

Khanna emphasized that the legislation will apply to all future administrations, making the gift ban a permanent fixture of federal ethics standards.

Rep. Summer Lee echoed this sentiment, saying Americans are fed up with watching corporate lobbyists and political insiders turn public service into private gain, with local communities continue struggling for basics like housing, health care, clean air, and fair wages.

“In the Trump Administration, self-dealing and pay-to-play are not a bug, they’re a feature,” said Democracy Advocate with Public Citizen, Jon Golinger adding since returning to office, President Trump has signed more than 110 executive orders, but the only move he’s made on ethics is to repeal the ones that existed.

Key provisions of the Drain the Swamp Act include:

• Lobbyist Gift Ban: Prohibits appointees from accepting gifts from registered lobbyists or lobbying organizations.
• Revolving Door Ban – Entering Government: Appointees cannot participate in matters related to former employers or clients for two years.
• Revolving Door Ban – Former Lobbyists & Foreign Agents: Prohibits former lobbyists or foreign agents from working on issues they previously lobbied on or within agencies they lobbied for two years before appointment.
• Revolving Door Ban – Leaving Government: Former appointees must adhere to a two-year cooling-off period restricting agency communications.
• Senior & Very Senior Officials Ban: Senior officials cannot assist lobbying efforts for one year after leaving government.
• Lobbying Ban – Post-Government Service: Appointees cannot lobby executive branch officials or foreign entities for the remainder of the administration or two years post-service, whichever is longer.
• Golden Parachute Ban: Prohibits appointees from accepting special payments or benefits from former employers as incentives for entering government service.
• Merit-Based Hiring Commitment: Ensures hiring decisions are based on qualifications, competence, and experience—not political connections.

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