New Ethics Bill Caps Presidential Library Donations at $10K, Bans Lobbyists for Two Years Post-Office

This bill is all about putting up guardrails around Presidential Libraries and Centers, specifically targeting the money that flows into them. Essentially, it aims to prevent the appearance of influence-peddling by severely restricting who can donate and how much they can give, particularly while a President is still in office or immediately after they leave. It sets a hard limit of $10,000 on total donations per person during the period from the President's election until one year after they leave office, and requires public disclosure of every donation over $200 every quarter. If you’ve ever wondered who is really funding the monuments to former Presidents, this bill tries to force that information into the daylight.

The Two-Year 'No Fly' Zone for Influence

Imagine you're a registered lobbyist or a federal contractor trying to secure a big government contract. Under current rules, you could potentially donate millions to a sitting President's Library foundation. This bill slams the door on that. Section 1 creates a strict ban on Presidential Libraries accepting donations from several high-influence groups: registered lobbyists, foreign nationals, federal contractors, registered agents of a foreign principal, and anyone who has sought or received a Presidential pardon. This ban isn't just for when the President is in office; it extends for a crucial two-year “cooling off” period after they leave. The idea here is simple: if you’re trying to influence the person currently running the country, you shouldn't be secretly funding their legacy project. This directly addresses the ethical gray area where large, undisclosed donations could look a lot like a subtle payoff or a bid for future access.

The $10,000 Cap and the Personal Use Ban

For everyone else—the general public, non-lobbyist corporations, and non-foreign entities—there's a new donation cap. No single person can donate more than $10,000 total to a specific Presidential Library between the election date and one year after the President leaves office. This limit will be adjusted for inflation, but it drastically changes the landscape for high-dollar donors who might want to secure a prominent spot at the dedication ceremony. Furthermore, the bill explicitly makes it illegal, forever, to use Library donations for personal benefit. No paying off personal debts or obligations with money meant for preserving history. This provision is backed up by serious penalties, ensuring that Library funds are used for their intended purpose, not as a secret slush fund.

Quarterly Transparency for the Public

For busy citizens, the biggest practical change is transparency. The bill mandates that the Library must report to the Archivist every quarter, detailing every person or entity that donated $200 or more. This report must include the donor's name, address, employer, and occupation. The Archivist then has 30 days to publish this information online. This means that if you donate $201 to a former President’s Library, your name and job will be public record. This provision, which covers the period from election through five years after the President leaves office, is designed to give the public a clear, real-time view of who is financially backing these institutions. It also makes it illegal to donate using someone else's name—a practice known as 'straw donor' schemes—with criminal penalties for those who knowingly break the rules.

The Cost of Non-Compliance

This isn't just a slap on the wrist. The bill includes stiff penalties designed to deter violations. If someone knowingly and willfully breaks the rules—like a lobbyist trying to funnel money through a third party—they could face criminal fines and up to one year in prison (or up to five years if the illegal donations exceed $50,000 in a year). The civil fines are equally severe, potentially reaching the greater of $100,000 or the total value of the illegal donations. By giving the Attorney General the power to enforce these rules, the bill signals that these new ethics standards are serious business. While the new rules create an administrative burden for the private foundations running the Libraries, the benefit is clear: less opportunity for undue influence and more public accountability.