A coalition of US lawmakers, led by Senator Elizabeth Warren, has introduced the Special Government Employee Ethics Enforcement and Reform (SEER) Act. This bill targets Special Government Employees (SGEs) such as Elon Musk and White House crypto advisor David Sacks. SGEs are part-time federal workers allowed to serve up to 130 days a year, and they are not always required to disclose their financial interests unless they surpass a specific pay grade. This lack of transparency has raised concerns about conflicts of interest, particularly for high-profile figures like Musk, who benefit from government deals but avoid disclosure requirements expected of senior officials.
Senator Warren argues that individuals like Musk, who earn millions from government contracts, should not be able to operate in ethical gray zones. The SEER Act has gained support from various advocacy and watchdog groups, including Public Citizen, CREW, POGO, State Democracy Defenders, Campaign Legal Center, AFGE, and NTEU. These groups believe that expanding ethics rules to cover SGEs and introducing stricter conflict-of-interest rules would increase transparency and accountability for part-time government advisors.
The SEER Act proposes several key provisions to address the ethical concerns surrounding SGEs. It would expand ethics rules to cover SGEs starting from their 61st day in office and prohibit them from receiving outside compensation related to their non-government roles after serving 130 days. The bill also introduces stricter conflict-of-interest rules, prohibiting SGEs who lead companies with federal contracts or monopolistic power from engaging with agencies that regulate or contract with those companies. Additionally, the legislation requires the Office of Government Ethics to approve all conflict-of-interest waivers for SGEs, increasing public oversight, and mandating public access to these waivers and financial disclosures.
If passed, the SEER Act would raise the ethical bar for part-time government advisors and limit the influence of corporate leaders in shaping federal policy behind closed doors. By increasing transparency and accountability for SGEs, the bill aims to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure that government officials serving in advisory roles are held to higher ethical standards. The SEER Act represents a significant step towards reforming ethics regulations for part-time federal workers and reducing the potential for corruption in government decision-making processes.
