What This Bill Does
This bill changes federal law to ban former members of Congress and former elected officers of Congress from lobbying Congress forever after they leave office. The law would make it illegal for these former officials to communicate with or appear before members, officers or employees of Congress on behalf of other people (except the U.S. government) when trying to influence official government action.
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Who It Affects
Former U.S. Senators, former U.S. House of Representatives members and former elected officers of either chamber of Congress.
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Key Provisions
- Former members and elected officers of Congress cannot knowingly communicate with or appear before Congress members, officers or employees on behalf of any other person (except the United States) if they intend to influence action on a matter (Sec. 2(a))
- The ban applies to communications with any employee of any legislative office of Congress (Sec. 2(a))
- Former officials who break this law face punishment as provided in existing law (Sec. 2(a))
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What Changes
Current law allows former members and elected officers to lobby Congress after a waiting period. This bill would eliminate that waiting period and prohibit them from lobbying Congress at any point after leaving office.
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Important Definitions
None defined in the bill text.
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Effective Date
The law applies to any person who leaves office on or after the date this bill becomes law (Sec. 2(c)).
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 88
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.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
JANUARY 25, 2023
Mr. BRAUN (for himself and Mr. SCOTT of Florida) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Banning Lobbying And
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Safeguarding Trust Act’’ or the ‘‘BLAST Act’’.
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•S 88 IS
SEC. 2. PROHIBITING FORMER MEMBERS AND OFFICERS
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OF CONGRESS FROM LOBBYING CONGRESS.
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(a) PROHIBITION.—Section 207(e) of title 18, United
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States Code, is amended by striking paragraph (1) and
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inserting the following:
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‘‘(1) MEMBERS
AND
ELECTED
OFFICERS
OF
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CONGRESS.—Any person who is a Senator, a Mem-
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ber of the House of Representatives, or an elected
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officer of the Senate or the House of Representa-
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tives and who, after that person leaves office, know-
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ingly makes, with the intent to influence, any com-
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munication to or appearance before any Member, of-
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ficer, or employee of either House of Congress or
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any employee of any other legislative office of Con-
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gress, on behalf of any other person (except the
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United States) in connection with any matter on
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which the former Senator, Member, or elected offi-
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cial seeks action by a Member, officer, or employee
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of either House of Congress, in his or her official ca-
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pacity, shall be punished as provided in section
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216.’’.
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(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
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Section 207(e)(2) of title 18, United States Code, is
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amended—
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(1) in the heading, by striking ‘‘OFFICERS AND
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STAFF’’ and inserting ‘‘STAFF’’;
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•S 88 IS
(2) by striking ‘‘an elected officer of the Senate,
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or’’;
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(3) by striking ‘‘office or’’; and
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(4) by striking ‘‘former elected officer or’’.
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(c) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this
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section shall apply with respect to an individual who leaves
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office on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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Æ
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