Ban Members from Becoming Lobbyists Act

Ban Members from Becoming Lobbyists Act

This bill extends the ban on lobbying that applies to former Members of Congress.

Specifically, the bill imposes a six-year ban for former Senators and a three-year ban for former Representatives; a ban begins once a former Senator or Representative leaves office. Under current law, former Senators are subject to a two-year ban, while former House Members are subject to a one-year ban.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1601 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1601

 To amend title 18, United States Code, to increase the length of the 
 post-employment ban on lobbying of Members, officers, or employees of 
                Congress by former Members of Congress.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 14, 2023

 Mr. Nunn of Iowa introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                     the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 18, United States Code, to increase the length of the 
 post-employment ban on lobbying of Members, officers, or employees of 
                Congress by former Members of Congress.

    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 ``Ban Members from Becoming Lobbyists 
Act''.

SEC. 2. INCREASE IN LENGTH OF POST-EMPLOYMENT BAN ON LOBBYING OF 
              CONGRESS BY FORMER MEMBERS.

    (a) Length of Post-Employment Ban.--
            (1) 6-year ban for former senators.--Subparagraph (A) of 
        section 207(e)(1) of title 18, United States Code, is amended 
        by striking ``within 2 years after that person leaves office'' 
        and inserting ``within 6 years after that person leaves 
        office''.
            (2) 3-year ban for former members of the house of 
        representatives.--Paragraph (1) of section 207(e) of such title 
        is amended by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the 
        following:
                    ``(B) Members of the house of representatives.--Any 
                person who is a Member of the House of Representatives 
                and who, within 3 years after that person leaves 
                office, knowingly makes, with the intent to influence, 
                any communication to or appearance before any Member, 
                officer, or employee of either House of Congress and 
                any employee of any other legislative office of the 
                Congress, on behalf of any other person (except the 
                United States) in connection with any matter on which 
                such former Member seeks action by a Member, officer, 
                or employee of either House of Congress, in his or her 
                official capacity, shall be punished as provided in 
                section 216 of this title.
                    ``(C) Officers of the house of representatives.--
                Any person who is an elected officer of the House of 
                Representatives and who, within 1 year after that 
                person leaves office, knowingly makes, with the intent 
                to influence, any communication to or appearance before 
                any Member, officer, or employee of the House of 
                Representatives, on behalf of any other person (except 
                the United States) in connection with any matter on 
                which such former elected officer seeks action by a 
                Member, officer, or employee of either House of 
                Congress, in his or her official capacity, shall be 
                punished as provided in section 216 of this title.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to any individual who, on or after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, leaves an office to which section 207(e)(1) of 
title 18, United States Code, applies.
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