Sec. 2. Findings
209 words·~1 min read·
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Congress finds the following: Some special Government employees have substantial financial conflicts of interest due to their other business activities while in Federal service. Special Government employees are subject to the criminal conflict-of-interest statute applicable to full-time Government employees, section 208 of title 18, United States Code. However, Federal employees, including special Government employees, do not have to resolve conflicts under that provision if the relevant work does not constitute a particular matter.
Unlike senior executive branch employees under chapter 131 of title 5, United States Code, the vast majority of special Government employees are not required to make their financial disclosure reports public, thus concealing from the public their potential financial conflicts of interest. The vast majority of special Government employees in the Federal Government serve on advisory committees and have a limited role in Government decision-making. But a select number of special Government employees have assumed authority within the Federal Government commensurate with a senior or very senior full-time Federal employee.
The executive branch has not notified the public or Congress when it uses special Government employees to perform high-level responsibilities. The executive branch has permitted employees to retain special Government employee status beyond the statutory limit of 130 days during any period of 365 consecutive days.