Sponsors (6)
The bill trades a temporary one-year restriction on former U.S. attorneys' private-sector work—and the resulting burden on enforcement and some business access—for stronger procedural integrity and greater public confidence that prosecutions and settlements are free from revolving‑door influence.
General public: Federal prosecutions will appear fairer and public trust in the justice system will increase because former U.S. attorneys are barred from representing prosecuted or negotiated businesses for one year.
Federal employees / justice system integrity: The one-year ban reduces conflicts of interest by preventing former U.S. attorneys from immediately representing entities they prosecuted or negotiated with, strengthening impartiality in enforcement.
Competing businesses (including small businesses): Businesses competing with an entity that was prosecuted or negotiated are less likely to face an unfair advantage from a former prosecutor using insider knowledge to benefit that entity.
Former U.S. attorneys: The one-year ban reduces near-term private-sector job opportunities and potential earnings for attorneys leaving government service.
Small businesses and government contractors: For one year they may have reduced access to experienced former prosecutors for defense or negotiations, which can raise legal costs or delay effective representation.
DOJ and federal courts (and potentially taxpayers): The bill creates additional enforcement and administrative burdens to detect and prove knowing violations and to apply penalties under §216, increasing resource needs.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Imposes a one-year ban on former U.S. attorneys representing, aiding, or assisting the same business entity they prosecuted or negotiated with while in office, with criminal penalties for violations.
Official title: To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide post-employment limits for attorneys of the United States, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 15, 2026 by Mary Gay Scanlon · Last progress May 15, 2026
Creates a one-year ban on former U.S. attorneys representing, aiding, or assisting a business entity in a federal prosecution or related agreement if the attorney personally and substantially participated in that prosecution or agreement while in government service. The provision makes violation punishable under existing criminal penalties and defines "business entity" to include corporations, partnerships, LLCs, and similar commercial organizations. The change adds a new subsection to the federal post-employment ethics law to prevent quick transitions from prosecuting a company to representing that same company in the same matter, aiming to strengthen integrity and avoid conflicts of interest between public prosecution work and subsequent private-sector employment.