Closing Bribery Loopholes Act

This proposal updates the federal bribery law to make clear what counts as an “official act” by a public official. It says an official act includes any decision, recommendation, or action on a question or matter that is or could be before the official as part of their job. It also says the act can be a single step or a series of steps, and it still counts even if it doesn’t achieve the desired result. This is meant to close loopholes where someone might claim “nothing official happened” to avoid bribery charges.

Key points:

• Who is affected: Public officials and anyone who tries to bribe them.
• What changes: The law clearly defines “official act” to include decisions, recommendations, and actions, whether one step or many, successful or not.
• Why it matters: Makes it easier to hold people accountable for bribery, even when the official didn’t finish the task or produce a result.