Official Document Text
Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)
By virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 301 of Title 3 of the United States Code, and as President of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows: Part I—Policy Section 101. Where government is based on the consent of the governed, every citizen is entitled to have complete confidence in the integrity of his government. Each individual officer, employee, or adviser of government must help to earn and must honor that trust by his own integrity and conduct in all official actions. Part II—Standards Of Conduct Section 201. (a) Except in accordance with regulations issued pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, no employee shall solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, gratuity, favor, entertainment, loan, or any other thing of monetary value, from any person, corporation, or group which— (1) has, or is seeking to obtain, contractual or other business or financial relationships with his agency; (2) conducts operations or activities which are regulated by his agency; or (3) has interests which may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of his official duty. (b) Agency heads are authorized to issue regulations, coordinated and approved by the Civil Service Commission, implementing the provisions of subsection (a) of this section and to provide for such exceptions therein as may be necessary and appropriate in view of the nature of their agency's work and the duties and responsibilities of their employees. For example, it may be appropriate to provide exceptions (1) governing obvious family or personal relationships where the circumstances make it clear that it is those relationships rather than the business of the persons concerned which are the motivating factors—the clearest illustration being the parents, children or spouses of federal employees; (2) permitting acceptance of food and refreshments available in the ordinary course of a luncheon or dinner or other meeting or on inspection tours where an employee may properly be in attendance; or (3) permitting acceptance of loans from banks or other financial institutions on customary terms to finance proper and usual activities of employees, such as home mortgage loans. This section shall be effective upon issuance of such regulations. (c) It is the intent of this section that employees avoid any action, whether or not specifically prohibited by subsection (a), which might result in, or create the appearance of— (1) using public office for private gain; (2) giving preferential treatment to any organization or person; (3) impeding government efficiency or economy; (4) losing complete independence or impartiality of action; (5) making a government decision outside official channels; or (6) affecting adversely the confidence of the public in the integrity of the Government. Sec. 202. An employee shall not engage in any outside employment, including teaching, lecturing, or writing, which might result in a conflict, or an apparent conflict, between the private interests of the employee and his official government duties and responsibilities, although such teaching, lecturing, and writing by employees are generally to be encouraged so long as the laws, the provisions of this order, and Civil Service Commission and agency regulations covering conflict of interest and outside employment are observed. Sec. 203. Employees may not (a) have direct or indirect financial interests that conflict substantially, or appear to conflict substantially, engage in, directly or indirectly, financial transactions as a result of, or primarily relying upon, information obtained through their employment. Aside from these restrictions, employees are free to engage in lawful financial transactions to the same extent as private citizens. Agencies may, however, further restrict such transactions in the light of the special circumstances of their individual missions. Sec. 204. An employee shall not use Federal property of any kind for other than officially approved activities. He must protect and conserve all Federal property, including equipment and supplies, entrusted or issued to him. Sec. 205. An employee shall not directly or indirectly make use of, or permit others to make use of, for the purpose of furthering a private interest, official information not made available to the general public. Sec. 206. An employee is expected to meet all just financial obligations, especially those—such as Federal, State, or local taxes—which are imposed by law. Part III—Standards Of Ethical Conduct For Special Government Employees Section 301. This part applies to all "special Government employees" as defined in Section 202 of Title 18 of the United States Code, who are employed in the Executive Branch. Sec. 302. A consultant, adviser or other special Government employee must refrain from any use of his public office which is motivated by, or gives the appearance of being motivated by, the desire for private gain for himself or other persons, including particularly those with whom he has family, business, or financial ties. Sec. 303. A consultant, adviser, or other special Government employee shall not use any inside information obtained as a result of his government service for private personal gain, either by direct action on his part or by counsel, recommendations or suggestions to others, including particularly those with whom he has family, business, or financial ties. Sec. 304. An adviser, consultant, or other special Government, employee shall not use his position in any way to coerce, or give the appearance of coercing, another person to provide any financial benefit to him or persons with whom he has family, business, or financial ties. Sec. 305. An adviser, consultant, or other special Government employee shall not receive or solicit from persons having business with is agency anything of value as a gift, gratuity, loan or favor for himself or persons with whom he has family, business, or financial ties while employed by the government or in connection with his work with the government. Sec. 306. Each agency shall? at the time of employment of a consultant, adviser, or other special Government employee require him to supply it with a statement of all other employment. The statement shall list the names of all the corporations, companies, firms, State or local governmental organizations, research organizations and educational or other institutions in which he is serving as employee, officer, member, owner, director, trustee, adviser, or consultant. In addition, it shall list such other financial information as the appointing department or agency shall decide is relevant in the light of the duties the appointee is to perform. The appointee may, but need not, be required to reveal precise amounts of investments. The statement shall be kept current throughout the period during which the employee is on the Government rolls. Part IV—Reporting Of Financial Interests Section 401. (a) Not later than ninety days after the date of this order, the head or each agency, each Presidential appointee in the Executive Office of the President who is not subordinate to the head of an agency in that Office, and each full-time member of a committee, board, or commission appointed by the President, shall submit to the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission a statement containing the following: (1) A list of the names of all corporations, companies, firms, or other business enterprises, partnerships, nonprofit organizations, and educational or other institutions— (A) with which he is connected as an employee, officer, owner, director, trustee, partner, adviser, or consultant; or (B) in which he has any continuing financial interests, through a pension or retirement plan, shared income, or otherwise, as a result of any current or prior employment or business or professional association ; or (C) in which he has any financial interest through the ownership of stocks, bonds or other securities. (2) A list of the names of his creditors, other than those to whom he may be indebted by reason of a mortgage on property which he occupies as a personal residence or to whom he may be indebted for current and ordinary household and living expenses. (3) A list of his interests in real property or rights in lands, other than property which he occupies as a personal residence. (b) Each person who enters upon duty after the date of this order in an office or position as to which a statement is required by this section shall submit such statement not later than thirty days after the date of his entrance on duty. (c) Each statement required by this section shall be kept up to date by submission of amended statements of any changes in, or additions to, the information required to be included in the original statement, on a quarterly basis. Sec. 402. The Civil Service Commission shall prescribe regulations, not inconsistent with this part, to require the submission of statements of financial interests by such employees, subordinate to the heads of agencies, as the Commission may designate. The Commission shall prescribe the form and content of such statements and the time or times and places for such submission. Sec. 403. (a) The interest of a spouse, minor child, or other member of his immediate household shall be considered to be an interest of a person required to submit a statement by or pursuant to this part. (b) In the event any information required to be included in a statement required by or pursuant to this part is not known to the person required to submit such statement but is known to other persons, the person concerned shall request such other persons to submit the required information on his behalf. (c) This part shall not be construed to require the submission of any information relating to any person's connection with, or interest in, any professional society or any charitable, religious, social, fraternal, educational, recreational, public service, civic, or political organization or any similar organization not conducted as a business enterprise and which is not engaged in the ownership or conduct of a business enterprise. Sec. 404. The Chairman of the Civil Service Commission shall report to the President any information contained in statements required by Section 401 of this part which may indicate a conflict between the financial interests of the official concerned and the performance of his services for the Government. The Commission shall report, or by regulation require reporting, to the head of the agency concerned any information contained in statements submitted pursuant to regulations issued under Section 402 of this part which may indicate a conflict between the financial interests of the officer or employee concerned and the performance of his services for the Government. Sec. 405. The statements and amended statements required by or pursuant to this part shall be held in confidence, and no information as to the contents thereof shall be disclosed except as the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission or the head of the agency concerned may determine for good cause shown. Sec. 406. The statements and amended statements required by or pursuant to this part shall be in addition to, and not in substitution for, or in derogation of, any similar requirement imposed by law, regulation, or order. The submission of a statement or amended statements required by or pursuant to this part shall not be deemed to permit any person to participate in any matter in which his participation is prohibited by law, regulation, or order. Part V—Delegating Authority Of The President Under Sections 205 And 208 Of Title 18 Of The United States Code Relating To Conflicts Of Interest Section 501. As used in this part, "department" means an executive department, "agency" means an independent agency or establishment or a Government corporation, and "head of an agency" means, in the case of an agency headed by more than one person, the chairman or comparable member of such agency. Sec. 502. There is delegated, in accordance with and to the extent prescribed in Sections 503 and 504 of this part, the authority of the President under Sections 205 and 208(b) of Title 18, United States Code, to permit certain actions by an officer or employee of the Government, including a special Government employee, for appointment to whose position the President is responsible. Sec. 503. Insofar as the authority of the President referred to in Section 502 extends to any appointee of the President subordinate to or subject to the chairmanship of the head of a department or agency, it is delegated to such department or agency head. Sec. 504. Insofar as the authority of the President referred to in Section 502 extends to an appointee of the President who is within or attached to a department or agency for purposes of administration, it is delegated to the head of such department or agency. Sec. 505. Notwithstanding any provision of the preceding sections of this part to the contrary, this part does not include a delegation of the authority of the President referred to in Section 502 insofar as it extends to: (a) The head of any department or agency in the Executive Branch; (b) Presidential appointees in the Executive Office of the President who are not subordinate to the head of an agency in that Office; and (c) Presidential appointees to committees, boards, commissions, or similar groups established by the President. Part VI—Providing For The Performance By The Civil Service Commission Of Certain Authority Vested In The President By Section 1753 Of The Revised Statutes Section 601. The Civil Service Commission is designated and empowered to perform, without the approval, ratification, or other action of the President, so much of the authority vested in the President by Section 1753 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (5 U.S.C. 631) as relates to establishing regulations for the conduct of persons in the civil service. Sec. 602. Regulations issued under the authority of Section 601 shall be consistent with the standards of ethical conduct provided elsewhere in this order. Part VII—General Provisions Section 701. The Civil Service Commission is authorized and directed, in addition to responsibilities assigned elsewhere in this order: (a) To issue appropriate regulations and instructions implementing Parts II, III, and IV of this order; (b) To review agency regulations from time to time for conformance with this order; and (c) To recommend to the President from time to time such revisions in this order as may appear necessary to ensure the maintenance of high ethical standards within the Executive Branch. Sec. 702. Each agency head is hereby directed to supplement the standards provided by law, by this order, and by regulations of the Civil Service Commission with regulations of special applicability to the particular functions and activities of his agency. Each agency head is also directed to assure (1) the widest possible distribution of regulations issued pursuant to this section, and (2) the availability of counseling for those employees who request advice or interpretation. Sec. 703. The following are hereby revoked: (a) Executive Order No. 10939 of May 5,1961. (b) Executive Order No. 11125 of October 29,1963. (c) Section 2 (a) of Executive Order No. 10530 of May 10,1954. (d) White House memorandum of July 20, 1961, on "Standards of Conduct for Civilian Employees." (e) The President's Memorandum of May 2,1963, "Preventing Conflicts of Interest on the Part of Special Government Employees." The effective date of this revocation shall be the date of issuance bv the Civil Service Commission of regulations under Section 701(a) of this order. Sec. 704. All actions heretofore taken by the President or by his delegates in respect of the matters affected by this order and in force at the time of the issuance of this order, including any regulations prescribed or approved by the President or by his delegates in respect of such matters, shall, except as they may be inconsistent with the provisions of this order or terminate bv operation of law, remain in effect until amended, modified, or revoked pursuant to the authority conferred by this order. Sec. 705. As used in this order, and except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the term "agency" means any executive department, or any independent agency or any Government corporation; and the term "employee" means any officer or employee of an agency. LYNDON B. JOHNSON The White House, May 8, 1965.