Sponsors (6)
The bill tightens and clarifies bribery rules to better protect federal funds and aid prosecutions, but it expands criminal exposure and raises penalties—potentially criminalizing lower-value exchanges and increasing costs for defendants and taxpayers.
Taxpayers will see stronger protection of federal funds because the bill expands and clarifies bribery offenses, making theft or misuse of government program money harder to conceal or justify.
State, local, and tribal government officials and organizations will face clearer and stronger legal deterrents against bribery due to defined monetary thresholds and expanded covered conduct, reducing opportunities for corruption in subnational government.
Law enforcement and prosecutors will have an easier time investigating and prosecuting public-corruption cases because the bill clarifies statutory elements (including specific value thresholds and covered acts).
Members of the public and community donors who give small-value gratuities could face criminal charges because the bill lowers/clarifies monetary thresholds that bring more transactions into felony coverage.
State, local, and tribal public servants risk substantially longer prison terms because the bill raises maximum penalties (up to 15 years) for violations under the relevant bribery statute.
Taxpayers could indirectly bear higher costs because broader criminal coverage and enforcement are likely to increase prosecution and justice-system expenses.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Sets $1,000/$5,000 thresholds and raises max prison time to 15 years for certain gratuities and bribe-like conduct under 18 U.S.C. §666.
Amends the federal anti-corruption statute at 18 U.S.C. §666 to set clear dollar thresholds and increase penalties for gratuities and bribe-like conduct involving agents of organizations or state, local, or Indian tribal governments. It makes it a crime to give or accept things of value of $1,000 or more tied to an official act connected to a business or transaction worth $5,000 or more, raises the maximum prison term from 10 to 15 years, and updates subsection numbering and cross-references.
Introduced June 26, 2025 by Daniel Goldman · Last progress June 26, 2025