HUMBLE Act

This bill tightens ethics rules and cuts perks for Congress. It would bar former Senators, Representatives, and elected officers from lobbying Congress after they leave office; the ban applies to those who depart after the law takes effect. It requires Members and legislative staff to fly coach on official travel starting in fiscal year 2026, with only limited exceptions allowed under federal travel rules cited in the bill.

For former House Members, it ends special privileges like access to the House floor, gym, Members’ Dining Room, parking, and certain document and resource rooms. Any exception would need a joint waiver by House leaders that is publicly posted. It also ends automatic pay raises for Members after the next general federal election, bans House Members from owning individual company stocks beginning January 3, 2027, and forbids them from serving on boards of for‑profit companies .

Key points

• Who is affected: former Senators and Representatives (lobbying ban); current House Members (stock and board rules); Members of Congress and legislative branch employees (travel rule); former House Members (perks) .
• What changes: lifetime ban on lobbying Congress after leaving office; coach-class only for official flights (with limited exceptions); end of special House perks for former Members; no automatic pay raises; no owning individual stocks; no serving on for‑profit boards .
• When: lobbying ban applies to people who leave office on or after enactment; travel rule starts in fiscal year 2026; stock ban takes effect just before noon on January 3, 2027; pay-raise change kicks in after the next general federal election .