(a) Any person who makes an expenditure prohibited herein shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $20,489 and not more than $204,892 for each such expenditure.

(b) Any person who fails to file or amend the disclosure form (see appendix B) to be filed or amended if required herein, shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $20,489 and not more than $204,892 for each such failure.

(c) A filing or amended filing on or after the date on which an administrative action for the imposition of a civil penalty is commenced does not prevent the imposition of such civil penalty for a failure occurring before that date. An administrative action is commenced with respect to a failure when an investigating official determines in writing to commence an investigation of an allegation of such failure.

(d) In determining whether to impose a civil penalty, and the amount of any such penalty, by reason of a violation by any person, the agency shall consider the nature, circumstances, extent, and gravity of the violation, the effect on the ability of such person to continue in business, any prior violations by such person, the degree of culpability of such person, the ability of the person to pay the penalty, and such other matters as may be appropriate.

(e) First offenders under paragraphs (a) or (b) of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of $20,489, absent aggravating circumstances. Second and subsequent offenses by persons shall be subject to an appropriate civil penalty between $20,489 and $204,892, as determined by the agency head or his or her designee.

(f) An imposition of a civil penalty under this section does not prevent the United States from seeking any other remedy that may apply to the same conduct that is the basis for the imposition of such civil penalty.

[55 FR 6737. 6747, Feb. 26, 1990, as amended at 81 FR 31492, May 19, 2016; 82 FR 9969, Feb. 9, 2017; 83 FR 7363, Feb. 21, 2018; 84 FR 12061, Apr. 1, 2019; 85 FR 13727, Mar. 10, 2020]