The bill would ban former members of Congress for life from lobbying members or staff of Congress on behalf of another person. It would extend certain lobbying restrictions for congressional staff from one year to six years. It would also bar registered lobbyists and agents of foreign principals from being hired by a member or committee they substantially lobbied for six years after leaving that role, with an ethics committee waiver allowed for a compelling national need.
The bill would create a searchable public website for lobbying disclosures and a database listing certain former congressional officials working for large lobbying entities. It would require those entities to report covered workers each year and send the filings to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. The bill would also raise the maximum specified penalty under the Lobbying Disclosure Act from $200,000 to $500,000.
The public would be able to search lobbying disclosures and information about certain former congressional officials employed by large lobbying entities. The bill would also limit when former members, staff, lobbyists, and foreign agents could lobby or work for congressional offices.
The bill authorizes $100,000 for fiscal year 2026 to create and maintain the joint lobbying disclosure website. No publicly available information is provided about other expenses.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.