Ethics Commitments (E.O. 13989)

Summary

Makes all new government appointees sign a promise to make decisions for the public good, avoid private gain, and follow rules about lobbying after leaving.

What problem does this solve?

Public trust in government can be harmed when officials appear to use their jobs for personal benefit. This order requires new appointees to sign a binding ethics pledge to ensure they work only for the public interest.

What does this order do?

Mandatory ethics pledge for new appointees

Requires every new appointee in an executive agency to sign a binding pledge committing them to ethical conduct and decision-making in the public interest.

Ban on gifts from lobbyists

Prohibits appointees from accepting any gifts from registered lobbyists or lobbying organizations while they are serving in government.

Restrictions on former lobbyists entering government

Prevents former lobbyists from working on issues they lobbied on or in the same issue area for two years after their appointment.

Post-government lobbying ban

Stops appointees from lobbying their former agency or working for foreign governments for either two years or the rest of the current administration, whichever is longer.

Ban on 'golden parachutes'

Forbids appointees from accepting payments or benefits from a former employer that are given specifically because they are taking a government job.

Allows for waivers

Permits the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to waive any of the pledge's restrictions if it is in the public interest, such as for national security or public health reasons.

Enforcement of the pledge

Authorizes the U.S. government to enforce the pledge through legal action. Former appointees who violate the pledge can be banned from lobbying their former agency for up to five years.

Who does this affect?

Executive branch appointees
Lobbyists and lobbying organizations
Former employers of government appointees

What is the real world impact?

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Restores public trust in government

Aims to show the public that government officials are held to a high ethical standard and are not using their positions for personal profit, which can increase confidence in government institutions.

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Reduces the influence of special interests

Limits the ability of lobbyists to give gifts and restricts former officials from immediately lobbying their old agencies. This helps prevent powerful outside groups from having too much sway over government decisions.

When does this start?

This order applies to all executive branch personnel appointed on or after January 20, 2021.

Waiver publication

Any waiver granted to an appointee must be made public within 10 days of being signed by the Director of OMB.

Annual public report

The Office of Government Ethics must provide an annual public report on how the ethics pledge and this order are being managed.