H.R. 9545

119 HR 9545 IH: Holding Officials to Necessary Ethical Standards and Transparency Act of 2026
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2026-06-30
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 I  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  H. R. 9545  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   June 30, 2026   Mr. Fuller  introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on the Judiciary    A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide for increased penalties for sex offenses committed by officers of the United States and Members of Congress, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Holding Officials to Necessary Ethical Standards and Transparency Act of 2026   or the   HONEST Act of 2026  .
2.
Increased penalties for sex offenses committed by officers of the United States and Members of Congress
(a)
Female genital mutilation
Section 116(a) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting before the period at the end the following:  , or if the offender is an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress, be fined under this title, and punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for life .
(b)
Penalties for civil rights offenses involving sexual misconduct
Section 250(b) of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (5)(B), by striking  and  at the end;
(2)
in paragraph (6)(B), by striking the period at the end and inserting  ; and ; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following:
(7)
 in the case of an offense with respect to which the offender is an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress, fined under this title, and punished by death or imprisonment for any term of years or for life.
 .
(c)
Sex trafficking of children or by force, fraud, or coercion
Section 1591(b) of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1), by striking  or  at the end;
(2)
in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting  ; or ; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following:
(3)
 if the offense was carried out by an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress, by a fine under this title, and by death or imprisonment for any term of years or for life.
 .
(d)
Aggravated sexual abuse
Section 2241 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a), by inserting before the period at the end the following:  , or if the offender is an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress, be fined under this title, and punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for life ;
(2)
in subsection (b), by inserting before the period at the end the following:  , or if the offender is an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress, be fined under this title, and punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for life ; and
(3)
in subsection (c), by inserting after  not less than 30 years or for life  the following:  , or if the offender is an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress, be fined under this title, and punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for life .
(e)
Sexual abuse of a minor, a ward, or an individual in Federal custody
Section 2243 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
(f)
Offenses by Federal officials or Members of Congress
Whoever, being an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress, commits an offense under this section shall be fined under this title, and punished by death or imprisonment for any term of years or for life.
 .
(f)
Abusive sexual contact
Section 2244 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
(d)
Offenses by Federal officials or Members of Congress
Whoever, being an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress, commits an offense under this section shall be fined under this title, and punished by death or imprisonment for any term of years or for life.
 .
(g)
Sexual exploitation of children
Section 2251(e) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after  not less than 35 years nor more than life  the following:  , but if such person is an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress, such person shall be fined under this title, and punished by death or imprisonment for any term of years or for life .
(h)
Selling or buying of children
Section 2251A of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a), by inserting after  and by a fine under this title  the following:  , or if the offender is an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress, be fined under this title, and punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for life ; and
(2)
in subsection (b), by inserting after  and by a fine under this title  the following:  , or if the offender is an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress, be fined under this title, and punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for life .
(i)
Certain activities relating to material involving the sexual exploitation of minors
Section 2252(b) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
(3)
Whoever, being an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress, violates, or attempts or conspires to violate, subsection (a), shall be fined under this title, and punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for life.
 .
(j)
Certain activities relating to material constituting or containing child pornography
Section 2252A(b) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
(4)
Whoever, being an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress, violates, or attempts or conspires to violate, subsection (a), shall be fined under this title, and punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for life.
 .
(k)
Sexual abuse
Section 2422 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a), by inserting before the period at the end the following:  , or if the offender is an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress, be fined under this title, and punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for life .
(2)
in subsection (b), by inserting before the period at the end the following:  , or if the offender is an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress, be fined under this title, and punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for life .
(l)
Transportation of minors
Section 2423 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsections (g) through (i) as subsection (h) through (j), respectively; and
(2)
by inserting after subsection (f) the following:
(g)
Offenses by Federal officials
Whoever, being an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress, commits an offense under this section shall be fined under this title, and punished by death or imprisonment for any term of years or for life.
 .
3.
Federal adultery offense for officers of the United States and Members of Congress
(a)
Offense
 Chapter 93  of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
1925.
Adultery by officers of the United States and Members of Congress
Whoever, being an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, knowingly engages in sexual intercourse (including genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital, or oral-anal, whether between persons of the same or opposite sex) with a person, and at the time of such conduct, the officer or Member or the person with whom the officer or Member engaged in such conduct, was married to another person, shall be fined under this title, and imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
 .
(b)
Clerical amendment
The table of sections for  chapter 93  of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
1925. Adultery by officers of the United States and Members of Congress.
  .