PEOPLE’S TRUTH IN PUBLIC SERVICE ACT OF 2025 

Titanium Edition 2026.1

 

A BILL

To establish Federal Court enforcement against Official Fraud with an independent oversight

commission, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress

assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “People’s Truth in Public Service Act of 2025.”

SECTION 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

(a) Findings. — Congress finds the following:

(1) Trust in government is foundational to democracy; knowingly false statements by Public Officials

in sworn contexts erode this trust and cause material harm.

(2) The First Amendment protects political speech but permits regulation of knowingly false factual

statements causing demonstrable harm.

(3) Verifiable truth in official duties strengthens public confidence and serves as a proactive

accountability measure for democratic processes.

(b) Purpose. — This Act establishes court enforcement of sworn fraud with an independent screening

commission to promote accuracy and accountability.

SECTION 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) Covered Statement.—The term “Covered Statement” means a written or sworn oral statement made by a Public Official in congressional testimony, Federal Court or agency filings, signed budgets, contracts, or certifications. The term excludes opinions, political rhetoric, campaign communications, satire, parody, hyperbole, or good-faith statements based on incomplete information.

(2) Public Official.—The term “Public Official” means any individual elected or appointed to Federal office, or a Federal employee acting within official duties.

(3) Fraudulent Statement.—The term “Fraudulent Statement” means a Covered Statement that the Public Official—

(A) knew to be false; or

(B) made with reckless disregard for its truth, including failure to exercise a Duty of Inquiry.

A Public Official acts with “Reckless Disregard” if the official certifies or makes the Covered Statement despite the existence of one or more Objective Red Flags, as determined by clear and convincing evidence. Objective Red Flags include, but are not limited to—

(i) Automated System Alerts: Any "critical error," "data discrepancy," or "integrity failure" notification generated by federal technical systems or the Federal Truth Archive digital ledger;

(ii) Internal Audit Warnings: Formal written or digital notifications from agency IG offices, GAO discrepancy reports, or lower-level technical supervisors flagging inaccuracies;

(iii) Algorithmic Dissent: Any automated data output that contradicts the official’s summary or budget request.

Willful Blindness.—The deliberate avoidance of available digital ledger data, SHA-256 hash verifications, or internal audit logs before signing a budget or certification constitutes Reckless Disregard, as determined by clear and convincing evidence.

Rebuttable Presumption of Knowledge.—If an Objective Red Flag was delivered to the official’s office, email, or digital dashboard, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the official had actual knowledge of the Red Flag. Such presumption may be rebutted by clear and convincing evidence of systemic delivery failure beyond the official’s control. The United States retains the ultimate burden of proving knowledge or Reckless Disregard by clear and convincing evidence.

(4) Material Harm.—The term “Material Harm” means quantifiable damage exceeding—

(A) $10,000 in direct financial loss to the United States Government, verified by audit;

(B) court-certified election interference, supported by an independent review from the GAO or an equivalent nonpartisan entity; or

(C) documented public-safety risks from false emergency declarations, supported by objective evidence and assessment from FEMA or HHS.

(5) Relator.—The term ‘Relator’ means a citizen complainant under Section 6(d).

SECTION 4. PROHIBITION ON OFFICIAL FRAUD.

(a) In General. — It shall be unlawful for any Public Official to knowingly make a Fraudulent Statement.

(b) Exceptions. — This section does not apply to speech protected by the First Amendment, including good-faith errors.

(c) Explainability & Red Flag Mandate.—

(1) Mandatory Explainability Certification.—Every federal budget, appropriation request, or performance report involving data generated by automated systems (as defined by the Attorney General in regulations under Section 14, including AI, robotics, or precision sensors) shall include a Signed Explainability Certification in which the Public Official swears under penalty of perjury that—

(A) The official has reviewed a written explanation of the data’s provenance (origin), logic, key assumptions, and known limitations or error rates;

(B) The official has reviewed any unresolved Objective Red Flags tied to the data; and

(C) The official understands, after reasonable review, the explanation described in subparagraph (A) and the status of any Objective Red Flags described in subparagraph (B) sufficiently to make a good-faith certification of accuracy. Lack of technical expertise shall not be a defense to liability under this Act. A Public Official who does not understand the data after reasonable review is prohibited from signing the certification.

(2) Rebuttable Presumption of Knowledge.—If an automated system generates an Error Code, Discrepancy Alert, or Objective Red Flag notification (that meets the criteria for an Objective Red Flag under Section 3) delivered to the certifying official’s digital dashboard or agency server in a manner reasonably calculated to provide the official with access to the alert, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the official had actual knowledge of the alert. Such presumption may be rebutted by clear and convincing evidence, including evidence of systemic delivery failure beyond the official’s control, and the United States retains the ultimate burden of proving a Fraudulent Statement.

(3) No Technical Immunity.—By signing a Covered Statement, the Public Official assumes personal responsibility for its truth (the “Owner Principle”). Claiming ignorance of automated system operations or Red Flags does not negate Reckless Disregard.

SECTION 5. FEDERAL INTEGRITY COMMISSION (FIC).

(a) Establishment.—There is established an independent six-member bipartisan advisory board, known as the Federal Integrity Commission (FIC), to receive, screen, and refer complaints of Fraudulent Statements.

(b) Appointments.—Two members shall be appointed by the Chief Justice of the United States; one member each by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the House Minority Leader, the Senate Majority Leader, and the Senate Minority Leader. Members shall serve four-year staggered terms and may not be reappointed without a 12-month cooling-off period.

(c) Duties.—The Commission shall—

(1) receive complaints alleging Fraudulent Statements supported by at least two independent corroborating facts;

(2) screen complaints for facial merit within 30 days and refer those approved by a super-majority vote (four of six members) to the Attorney General for investigation; and

(3) publish quarterly reports of screening activities and conduct annual public truth audits of major Federal agencies.

(d) Limitations.—The Commission shall have no prosecutorial, subpoena, rulemaking, or adjudicatory authority. All enforcement remains exclusively with the Department of Justice. The DOJ Inspector General shall serve as a non-voting ex officio member to mediate deadlocks.

(e) Ethics and Funding.—The Commission shall operate under ethics rules promulgated by the Attorney General within 60 days of enactment, which shall include—

(1) a prohibition on members and staff holding or trading private stocks, commodities, or digital assets other than broadly diversified funds or government retirement plans;

(2) a 90‑day divestiture requirement for non‑compliant investments;

(3) a requirement that staff positions be certified as mission‑critical in fiscal auditing, robotics, agriculture, or other designated technical fields;

(4) a 24‑month initial performance period before permanent status; and

(5) funding solely from a five‑percent set‑aside of collected fines under this Act (the “Fiscal Self-Sufficiency Fund”). No taxpayer appropriations are authorized.

SECTION 6. ENFORCEMENT THROUGH FEDERAL COURTS. 

(a) Process.—The Attorney General shall open an investigation or issue a written declination within 60 days of referral.

(b) Timeline.—Federal courts shall give priority docketing to actions under this Act, targeting investigative warrants within 30 days and adjudication within 180 days absent good cause.

(c) Pilot Phase.—A six-month Pilot Phase limits cases to financial harm (months 1–3) before expanding to election and safety violations (months 4–6), followed by bipartisan congressional review.

(d) Citizen Complaints.

(1) Filing Authority.—Any U.S. citizen (Relator) may file verified complaints with the FIC.

(2) Commission Screening.—The Commission shall screen all citizen-filed complaints in accordance with the 30-day timeline and evidentiary requirements set forth in Section 5(c).

(3) AG Consideration.—Complaints approved by super-majority vote of the Commission (four of six members) shall be forwarded to the Attorney General for priority consideration. The Attorney General retains full prosecutorial discretion.

(e) Non-Indemnification.—Remedies for asset protection and non-indemnification shall be governed by Section 8(e).

SECTION 7. WHISTLEBLOWER INCENTIVES AND PROTECTIONS. 

(a) In General.—A Relator providing original information, voluntarily disclosed before any formal inquiry and supported by at least two independent corroborating facts, that leads to a fine exceeding $50,000 shall receive 20 percent of the recovered amount from the Fiscal Self-Sufficiency Fund. Awards shall be ineligible for individuals who planned or facilitated the Fraudulent Statement or for Commission or DOJ personnel involved in enforcement.

(b) Procedures.—The Attorney General shall, by regulation, establish verification procedures consistent with this section, including document authenticity checks using the Federal Truth Archive, a first-to-file rule, expedited retaliation protections, and payment only after final judgment and collection from the offending official. Total awards for a single case shall not exceed 20 percent of recovered fines.

SECTION 8. PENALTIES.

(a) Minor.—Fines of $10,000–$50,000 plus court-ordered correction.

(b) Moderate.—Fines of $50,000–$100,000 plus censure or suspension.

(c) Severe.—Fines of $100,000–$500,000 plus removal, disqualification from office for 5–10 years, and pension forfeiture.

(d) Criminal.—Violations exceeding $1,000,000 shall be referred under 18 U.S.C. § 1001.

(e) Non-Indemnification and Asset Protection.—

Upon FIC referral, the Attorney General may petition a Federal District Court for pre-judgment liens, lis pendens notices, or asset freezes. Transactions within 24–36 months involving inflated purchases or transfers to insiders shall be presumed fraudulent as to the United States unless rebutted by clear and convincing evidence. Legal defense funds may be used for attorney fees but not fines or penalties, subject to source verification by the Attorney General.

SECTION 9. DIGITAL VERIFICATION REQUIREMENT.

(a) Digital Ledger. — The Archivist of the United States shall maintain a public API for SHA-256 hashes and C2PA metadata.

(b) Requirements. — Mandatory for budgets exceeding $1,000,000.

(c) Anti-Structuring. — Intentional subdivision of reports to avoid the $1,000,000 threshold is prohibited.

(d) Non-Compliance.—Failure to provide required metadata constitutes a civil violation subject to penalties not exceeding $10,000 per submission, enforceable by the Attorney General following notice and 30-day cure period.

SECTION 10. FEDERAL TRUTH ARCHIVE. 

The National Archives and Records Administration shall implement a five-year rolling freeze of Covered Statements, FOIA-accessible within 30 days.

 

SECTION 11. FIRST AMENDMENT SAFEGUARDS. 

Complaints lacking actual malice and Material Harm shall be dismissed within 45 days.

SECTION 12. IMPLEMENTATION AND FUNDING. 

(a) Effective Date. — This Act shall take effect 180 days after enactment.

(b) Fiscal Self-Sufficiency. — The Federal Integrity Commission shall be funded via a five-percent set-aside of collected fines. No new taxpayer appropriations are authorized for implementation of this Act.

(c) GAO Audit and Automated Budget Reduction. —

(1) The GAO Backstop: The Government Accountability Office (GAO) shall conduct an annual audit of the FIC’s operational budget to ensure no taxpayer appropriations have been used for implementation or administration.

(2) Violation Trigger: If a GAO audit detects that any taxpayer funds—including unauthorized discretionary funds or redirected agency appropriations—have been used to support FIC operations, a "Fiscal Violation" is declared.

(3) Automated Penalty: Upon a certified finding of a Fiscal Violation, the FIC shall be subject to an automatic 50 percent budget cut for the next fiscal year. This reduction shall apply to the 5% fine set-aside normally allocated for its operations.

(4) Personal Liability for Fiscal Mismanagement.

(A) Agency Head Accountability: The use of taxpayer funds to sustain the FIC shall be treated as a Fraudulent Statement by the Commission’s leadership if they knowingly or recklessly certify compliance with the zero‑appropriation requirement.

(B) Correction Mandate: Any taxpayer funds identified by the GAO must be reimbursed to the General Fund of the Treasury using the "Personal Liability" mechanisms (including wage garnishment or pension offset) of the officials responsible for the budget oversight.

SECTION 13. SEVERABILITY AND PREEMPTION.

Invalid provisions shall not affect the remainder. This Act preempts conflicting State laws while preserving State perjury authority.

SECTION 14. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY.

The Attorney General shall issue standardized complaint forms and evidentiary guidelines within 60 days, subject to congressional review under 5 U.S.C. Ch. 8.

SECTION 15. SUNSET PROVISION.

This Act shall terminate five years after enactment unless renewed. An automatic two-year extension shall occur if independent surveys show public trust in government improved by more than five percentage points from the enactment baseline.

SECTION 16. RELATION TO EXISTING LAWS. 

This Act supplements 18 U.S.C. § 1001 and the False Claims Act. No double jeopardy or redundant prosecution is permitted.

SECTION 17. FISCAL SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROTECTION. 

Fines collected under this Act and deposited into the Fiscal Self-Sufficiency Fund shall remain available until expended and shall not be reprogrammed or transferred except by a subsequent Act of Congress that expressly amends this section. In the event of a government shutdown, Commission operations funded by this Fund shall be deemed essential.

SECTION 18. SEVERABILITY.

If any provision of this Act is held invalid, the remainder shall not be affected. If any limitation on removal of Commission members is held unconstitutional, members shall thereafter serve at the pleasure of their appointing authorities. Pending investigations and collected fines shall continue without interruption.

SECTION 19. [Reserved]

SECTION 20. STREAMLINED PROCESSES 

To address potential bottlenecks in enforcement:

(a) Enhanced Referral Process. — Upon a majority vote (three of six members), the Commission may request preliminary investigative support from the DOJ or GAO, including limited document requests, to supplement screening without full subpoena power.

(b) AG Timeline. — The Attorney General shall provide a status update on referred cases within 60 days and prioritize high-impact cases (e.g., those involving material harm over $100,000) to prevent delays.

(c) Hiring Flexibility. — The technical roles specified in Section 5(e) (Robotics, Fiscal Auditing, and Agriculture) are examples of priority areas for initial implementation, chosen for their relevance to high-risk federal spending sectors (e.g., defense robotics, farm subsidies). The FIC may expand hiring to additional technical fields (e.g., cybersecurity, data science) as needed, subject to annual GAO review, to ensure broad capability without undue specificity.