PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Sep 26, 2017
Close Official Acts Loophole Act of 2017
This bill amends the federal criminal code to modify the definition of "official act" for purposes of an offense involving bribery of public officials.
Bribery of public officials includes offering a thing of value to (or acceptance of a thing of value by) a public official to influence an official act (or in return for being influenced in connection with an official act). Currently, an official act is any decision or action on a question, matter, cause, suit, proceeding, or controversy, which may at any time be pending, or which may by law be brought before a public official, in their official capacity.
This bill broadens an official act to include the personal and substantial participation through, or investigation of, a question, matter, cause, suit, proceeding, or controversy.
People & committees
Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3] · D–NY
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 11, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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Analyze H.R.3843 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
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