Enact Ethics Laws Today to Prevent Executive Branch Rollbacks

I am writing to urge you to support legislation that strengthens ethical standards in government and prevents the unilateral rollback of critical ethics safeguards by any sitting President. Recent administrations have demonstrated how easily executive orders can be used to weaken or eliminate ethical guidelines meant to prevent conflicts of interest, eroding public trust in our democratic institutions. To ensure accountability and transparency, these protections must be enshrined in law, rather than left vulnerable to the shifting priorities of individual administrations. Specifically, I encourage you to introduce or support legislation that: 1. Prevents the President from unilaterally revoking ethics rules: Executive orders should not be the sole mechanism governing ethics regulations. Instead, Congress must play a critical role in reviewing and approving any modifications to existing safeguards. 2. Preserves and strengthens cooling-off periods for lobbyists: Loosening or removing these restrictions allows individuals to move freely between lobbying and government service, creating undue influence from special interests. These barriers must be upheld to prevent conflicts of interest. 3. Maintains restrictions on gifts and financial entanglements: Special interest groups should not have unchecked access to policymakers. Robust laws limiting gifts, financial incentives, and other undue influences are essential to maintaining the integrity of public service. True ethics reform requires more than rhetoric—it demands strong, enforceable laws that ensure accountability and prevent corruption. If we are serious about “draining the swamp,” we must ensure that ethical guidelines cannot be easily discarded at the whim of a single administration. Public officials must be held to the highest standards, and weakening these protections only serves to further erode trust in government. I urge you to take decisive action to protect and reinforce the ethical foundations of our democracy. Please let me know what steps you are taking to ensure that ethics rules remain strong, independent of political influence. I look forward to your response.