Lobbyist Loophole Closure Act

Lobbyist Loophole Closure Act

This bill broadens the scope of lobbying activities that trigger lobbyist registration and disclosure requirements.

Specifically, it expands lobbying activities to include legislative, political, and strategic counseling services.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1530 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1530

  To amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to expand the scope of 
  individuals and activities which are subject to the requirements of 
                               such Act.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 2, 2021

Ms. Wild (for herself and Mr. Sarbanes) introduced the following bill; 
          which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to expand the scope of 
  individuals and activities which are subject to the requirements of 
                               such Act.

    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 ``Lobbyist Loophole Closure Act''.

SEC. 2. EXPANDING SCOPE OF INDIVIDUALS AND ACTIVITIES SUBJECT TO 
              REQUIREMENTS OF LOBBYING DISCLOSURE ACT OF 1995.

    (a) Coverage of Individuals Providing Legislative, Political, and 
Strategic Counseling Services.--
            (1) Treatment of legislative, political, and strategic 
        counseling services in support of lobbying contacts as lobbying 
        activity.--Section 3(7) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 
        (2 U.S.C. 1602(7)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``efforts'' and inserting ``any 
                efforts''; and
                    (B) by striking ``research and other background 
                work'' and inserting the following: ``legislative, 
                political, and strategic counseling services, research, 
                and other background work''.
            (2) Treatment of lobbying contact made with support of 
        legislative, political, and strategic counseling services as 
        lobbying contact made by individual providing services.--
        Section 3(8) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 1602(8)) is amended by 
        adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(C) Treatment of providers of legislative, 
                political, and strategic counseling services.--Any 
                individual who for financial or other compensation 
                provides legislative, political, and strategic 
                counseling services which are treated as lobbying 
                activity under paragraph (7), and which are used in 
                support of a lobbying contact under this paragraph 
                which is made by another individual, shall be 
                considered to have made the same lobbying contact at 
                the same time and in the same manner to the covered 
                executive branch official or covered legislative branch 
                official involved.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to lobbying contacts made on or after the date of 
the enactment of this Act.
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