Closing the Congressional Revolving Door Act

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2486 To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit former Members and elected officers of Congress from lobbying Congress at any time after leaving office, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 6, 2023 Ms. CRAIG introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judi- ciary, and Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit former Members and elected officers of Congress from lobbying Congress at any time after leaving office, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Closing the Congres- 4 sional Revolving Door Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:45 Apr 13, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2486.IH H2486 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 2486 IH SEC. 2. PROHIBITING FORMER MEMBERS AND OFFICERS 1 OF CONGRESS FROM LOBBYING CONGRESS. 2 (a) PROHIBITION.—Section 207(e)(1) of title 18, 3 United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 4 ‘‘(1) MEMBERS AND ELECTED OFFICERS OF 5 CONGRESS.—Any person who is a Senator, a Mem- 6 ber of the House of Representatives, or an elected 7 officer of the Senate or the House of Representa- 8 tives and who, after that person leaves office, know- 9 ingly makes, with the intent to influence, any com- 10 munication to or appearance before any Member, of- 11 ficer, or employee of either House of Congress or 12 any employee of any other legislative office of the 13 Congress, on behalf of any other person (except the 14 United States) in connection with any matter on 15 which such former Senator, Member, or elected offi- 16 cial seeks action by a Member, officer, or employee 17 of either House of Congress, in his or her official ca- 18 pacity, shall be punished as provided in section 216 19 of this title.’’. 20 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 207(e)(2) 21 of such title is amended— 22 (1) in the heading, by striking ‘‘OFFICERS AND 23 STAFF’’ and inserting ‘‘STAFF’’; 24 (2) by striking ‘‘an elected officer of the Senate, 25 or’’; 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:45 Apr 13, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2486.IH H2486 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 2486 IH (3) by striking ‘‘leaves office or employment’’ 1 and inserting ‘‘leaves employment’’; and 2 (4) by striking ‘‘former elected officer or’’. 3 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 4 this section shall apply with respect to an individual who 5 leaves office on or after the date of the enactment of this 6 Act. 7 SEC. 3. BENEFITS AND SERVICES PROVIDED TO FORMER 8 MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTA- 9 TIVES. 10 (a) BENEFITS AND SERVICES DESCRIBED.—The 11 House of Representatives may not make any of the fol- 12 lowing benefits and services available to an individual who 13 becomes a former Member of the House (except to the 14 extent such benefits and services are made available to 15 members of the public): 16 (1) Access to the Hall of the House. 17 (2) Access to athletic facilities and other facili- 18 ties available for the use of Members of the House. 19 (3) Access to the Members’ Dining Room lo- 20 cated in the House of Representatives wing of the 21 United States Capitol. 22 (4) Access to parking spaces. 23 (5) Access to material from the House docu- 24 ment room. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:45 Apr 13, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2486.IH H2486 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 4 •HR 2486 IH (6) Use of the collections in the House Legisla- 1 tive Resource Center without borrowing privileges. 2 (b) WAIVER AUTHORITY.— 3 (1) AUTHORITY TO WAIVE ELIMINATION OF 4 BENEFIT OR SERVICE.—The Speaker and the minor- 5 ity leader of the House of Representatives may joint- 6 ly, on a case-by-case basis, grant a waiver of sub- 7 section (a) with respect to a former Member of the 8 House and a benefit or service described in such 9 subsection. 10 (2) PUBLICATION IN CONGRESSIONAL 11 RECORD.—If the Speaker and the minority leader 12 jointly grant a waiver under paragraph (1) to make 13 a benefit or service available to a former Member, 14 the Speaker and minority leader shall, not later than 15 24 hours after the waiver is granted, caused to have 16 published in the Congressional Record a statement 17 identifying the former Member and the benefit or 18 service involved. 19 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:45 Apr 13, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H2486.IH H2486 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB