Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 257.
This bill amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act (2 U.S.C. 1603(b)) to add a new registration requirement. Registrants must disclose the name and address of any foreign government or foreign political party (excluding the client) that participates in directing, planning, supervising, or controlling the registrant’s lobbying activities.
Scope and definition of "participates in direction, planning, supervision, or control"
Relatively narrow transparency reform likely to attract supporters and critics; lobbying-industry resistance could raise opposition.
This bill amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act (2 U.S.C. 1603(b)) to add a new registration requirement.
Registrants must disclose the name and address of any foreign government or foreign political party (excluding the client) that participates in directing, planning, supervising, or controlling the registrant’s lobbying activities.
The bill also makes minor textual edits to existing paragraph numbering and punctuation.
Narrow, low-cost disclosure tweak with plausible bipartisan appeal; affected interests may lobby against it, creating moderate resistance.
How solid the drafting looks.
Scope and definition of "participates in direction, planning, supervision, or control"
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Scope and definition of "participates in direction, planning, supervision, or control"
Likely supportive because it increases transparency about foreign government and political party influence in U.S. lobbying.
May view it as a modest but useful tool against covert foreign influence.
Some progressives may argue it does not go far enough on enforcement or public access.
Generally favorable as a targeted, procedural transparency change balancing oversight and limited burden.
Will want clarity on implementation, verification, and compliance costs.
Concerned about vague language producing uneven enforcement.
Many conservatives will support the bill's transparency and national-security rationale.
Some limited-government conservatives may worry about additional reporting burdens.
Overall viewed as reasonable oversight of foreign influence.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Narrow, low-cost disclosure tweak with plausible bipartisan appeal; affected interests may lobby against it, creating moderate resistance.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Scope and definition of "participates in direction, planning, supervision, or control"
Narrow, low-cost disclosure tweak with plausible bipartisan appeal; affected interests may lobby against it, creating moderate resistance.
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