Executive Order 13770 requires executive branch employees appointed to their positions under the current Administration to agree to an ethics pledge to abide by certain employment standards and post-employment restrictions. The executive order provides that a waiver of those provisions may be granted by the President or his designee. H.R. 391 would require each agency to post a copy of any such waiver on its public website for anyone who has been granted such a waiver under the current Administration, or who is granted such a waiver in the future.
Because the information needed to make such waivers public is already available, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 391 would cost less than $500,000 annually; any spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. Enacting the bill could affect direct spending by some agencies that are allowed to use fees, receipts from the sale of goods, and other collections to cover operating costs. CBO estimates that any net changes in direct spending by agencies would be insignificant because most of those agencies can adjust amounts collected to reflect changes in operating costs.
