[Congressional Bills 115th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 346 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 346 To amend title 18, United States Code, to establish a uniform 5-year post-employment ban on lobbying by former Members of Congress, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 5, 2017 Mr. Trott introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend title 18, United States Code, to establish a uniform 5-year post-employment ban on lobbying by former Members of Congress, and for other purposes. 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 ``Congressional Integrity Act''. SEC. 2. 5-YEAR POST-EMPLOYMENT BAN ON LOBBYING BY FORMER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. (a) 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 5 years after that person leaves office''. (b) 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 5 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.''. (c) 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. SEC. 3. ELIMINATION OF 20-PERCENT EXEMPTION FOR FORMER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ENGAGING IN LOBBYING. (a) Elimination of Exemption.--Section 3(10) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1602(10)) is amended to read as follows: ``(10) Lobbyist.-- ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), term `lobbyist' means any individual who is employed or retained by a client for financial or other compensation for services that include more than one lobbying contact. ``(B) Exception.--Subparagraph (A) does not apply to an individual with respect to a client if the individual's lobbying activities constitute less than 20 percent of the time engaged in the services provided by such individual to that client over a 3-month period. The previous sentence does not apply to an individual if the individual held an office to which subparagraph (A) or subparagraph (B) of section 207(e)(1) of title 18, United States Code, applies.''. (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to lobbying contacts made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. <all>