To amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require certain disclosures by registrants regarding exemptions under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended.
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
Passed SenateReported by Mr. Paul, without amendment
Passed Senate (inferred from es version)
Mr. Peters (for himself and Mr. Grassley) introduced the following …
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Lobbying Disclosure Improvement Act amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require lobbyist registrants to disclose whether they are claiming an exemption under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). This closes a transparency gap where lobbyists working on behalf of foreign interests could avoid full FARA disclosure by claiming exemptions while still being required to register under the less stringent lobbying disclosure rules.
Who Benefits and How
The general public and government oversight agencies benefit from increased transparency about who is lobbying on behalf of foreign interests. By requiring disclosure of FARA exemptions, Congress and the public can better identify when lobbyists may be acting for foreign principals while avoiding the stricter registration and disclosure requirements of FARA. This helps prevent foreign influence from operating in the shadows of the lobbying system.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Lobbyists and lobbying registrants who claim FARA exemptions must now add this disclosure to their registration filings. This is a minor administrative burden - they simply must include a statement declaring whether they are using the Section 3(h) exemption under FARA, which allows certain lobbying activities on behalf of foreign principals to be exempt from FARA if registered under the Lobbying Disclosure Act.
Key Provisions
- Adds a new paragraph (8) to Section 4(b) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995
- Requires all lobbying registrants to disclose whether they are exempt under Section 3(h) of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938
- Closes a transparency loophole by linking FARA exemption status to lobbying disclosure requirements
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act to require registrants to disclose whether they are exempt under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Policy Domains
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
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