On the recordAugust 5, 2010
I am pleased to introduce legislation that will tighten restrictions on individuals who move between the public and private sector--the so-called revolving door. The legislation that I am introducing today aims to better protect the United States from conflicts of interest posed by this practice, particularly where it comes to senior government officials and employees going on to represent foreign entities--sometimes even the governments of the very foreign countries in which they had just finished representing the United States. There was a time when public service was held in high esteem, but the ever expanding revolving door between public and private employment has generated cynicism and frustration. By placing meaningful restrictions on how quickly former officials can access this door and where it will take them, we can reverse the trend of government employees going off to lobby for foreign entities by making clear they are not "for sale." This legislation is an important reminder that public service should be treated as an honor and a privilege, and will help to ensure that government officials make decisions based on the best interests of the American people, and not on their future career prospects.
