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119-hr-9545119th Congress

HONEST Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Fuller, Clay [R-GA-14]

Introduced

Summary

Heightened criminal penalties for federal officials and Members of Congress. The bill would sharply increase punishments for a wide range of sex offenses when the offender is an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress and would also create a new federal adultery crime that applies only to those officials.

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  • Federal officials and Members of Congress would face far tougher penalties. For many covered crimes the bill would make such offenders subject to fines and to death or life imprisonment.
  • Children, trafficking victims, and survivors of sexual abuse would be affected because the bill adds the heightened penalties to many Title 18 provisions. Examples include female genital mutilation, sex trafficking of children, aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse of minors or wards, abusive sexual contact, sexual exploitation and child pornography, selling or buying children, and transportation of minors.
  • Adultery by an officer of the United States or a Member of Congress would become a standalone federal offense. That crime would carry up to 1 year in prison, a fine, or both.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

New adultery crime for officials

This bill would create a new federal adultery offense that applies to officers of the United States and Members of Congress. It would apply when the conduct is in or affects interstate or foreign commerce and when the officer or the other person was married to someone else at the time. The law would define sexual intercourse to include genital‑genital, oral‑genital, anal‑genital, and oral‑anal acts and would cover same‑ and opposite‑sex conduct. Penalties would include a fine under title 18, imprisonment for up to one year, or both, and the change would take effect upon enactment.

Stronger penalties for federal officials

This bill would increase criminal penalties when a federal officer or Member of Congress commits certain sexual or child‑exploitation crimes. It would amend many federal statutes so such officers could be fined and face much longer prison terms, including life imprisonment or death where allowed. Covered offenses would include sex trafficking, aggravated sexual abuse, sexual exploitation and child pornography, female genital mutilation, civil‑rights sexual misconduct, sexual abuse of minors or wards, and transportation of minors. These changes would take effect upon enactment and could increase federal prosecutions and court caseloads.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Fuller, Clay [R-GA-14]

GA • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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