[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5617 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5617

To amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require the disclosure 
                 of political intelligence activities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 13, 2008

  Mr. Baird (for himself and Ms. Slaughter) introduced the following 
       bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require the disclosure 
                 of political intelligence activities.

    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 ``Political Intelligence Disclosure 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DISCLOSURE OF POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES UNDER LOBBYING 
              DISCLOSURE ACT.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 
(2 U.S.C. 1602) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) by inserting after ``lobbying activities'' each 
                place that term appears the following: ``or political 
                intelligence activities''; and
                    (B) by inserting after ``lobbyists'' the following: 
                ``or political intelligence consultants''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
            ``(17) Political intelligence activities.--The term 
        `political intelligence activities' means political 
        intelligence contacts and efforts in support of such contacts, 
        including preparation and planning activities, research, and 
        other background work that is intended, at the time it is 
        performed, for use in contacts, and coordination with the 
        political intelligence activities of others.
            ``(18) Political intelligence contact.--
                    ``(A) Definition.--The term `political intelligence 
                contact' means any oral or written communication 
                (including an electronic communication) to or from a 
                covered executive branch official or a covered 
                legislative branch official, the information derived 
                from which is intended for use in analyzing securities 
                or commodities markets, or in informing investment 
                decisions, that is made on behalf of a client with 
                regard to--
                            ``(i) the formulation, modification, or 
                        adoption of Federal legislation (including 
                        legislative proposals);
                            ``(ii) the formulation, modification, or 
                        adoption of a Federal rule, regulation, 
                        Executive order, or any other program, policy, 
                        or position of the United States Government; or
                            ``(iii) the administration or execution of 
                        a Federal program or policy (including the 
                        negotiation, award, or administration of a 
                        Federal contract, grant, loan, permit, or 
                        license).
                    ``(B) Exception.--The term `political intelligence 
                contact' does not include a communication that is made 
                by or to a representative of the media if the purpose 
                of the communication is gathering and disseminating 
                news and information to the public.
            ``(19) Political intelligence firm.--The term `political 
        intelligence firm' means a person or entity that has 1 or more 
        employees who are political intelligence consultants to a 
        client other than that person or entity.
            ``(20) Political intelligence consultant.--The term 
        `political intelligence consultant' means any individual who is 
        employed or retained by a client for financial or other 
        compensation for services that include one or more political 
        intelligence contacts.''.
    (b) Registration Requirement.--Section 4 of the Lobbying Disclosure 
Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1603) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by inserting after ``whichever is 
                        earlier,'' the following: ``or a political 
                        intelligence consultant first makes a political 
                        intelligence contact,''; and
                            (ii) by inserting after ``such lobbyist'' 
                        each place that term appears the following: 
                        ``or consultant'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting after 
                ``lobbyists'' each place that term appears the 
                following: ``or consultants''; and
                    (C) in paragraph (3)(A)--
                            (i) by inserting after ``lobbying 
                        activities'' each place that term appears the 
                        following: ``and political intelligence 
                        activities''; and
                            (ii) in clause (i), by inserting after 
                        ``lobbying firm'' the following: ``or political 
                        intelligence firm'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (3), by inserting after ``lobbying 
                activities'' each place that term appears the 
                following: ``or political intelligence activities'';
                    (B) in paragraph (4)--
                            (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
                        (A), by inserting after ``lobbying activities'' 
                        the following: ``or political intelligence 
                        activities''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (C), by inserting 
                        after ``lobbying activity'' the following: ``or 
                        political intelligence activity'';
                    (C) in paragraph (5), by inserting after ``lobbying 
                activities'' each place that term appears the 
                following: ``or political intelligence activities'';
                    (D) in paragraph (6), by inserting after 
                ``lobbyist'' each place that term appears the 
                following: ``or political intelligence consultant''; 
                and
                    (E) in the matter following paragraph (6), by 
                inserting ``or political intelligence activities'' 
                after ``such lobbying activities'';
            (3) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting after ``lobbying 
                contacts'' the following: ``or political intelligence 
                contacts''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) by inserting after ``lobbying contact'' 
                        the following: ``or political intelligence 
                        contact''; and
                            (ii) by inserting after ``lobbying 
                        contacts'' the following: ``and political 
                        intelligence contacts''; and
            (4) in subsection (d)(1), by inserting after ``lobbying 
        activities'' each place that term appears the following: ``or 
        political intelligence activities''.
    (c) Reports by Registered Political Intelligence Consultants.--
Section 5 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1604) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by inserting after ``lobbying 
        activities'' the following: ``and political intelligence 
        activities'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
                        (A), by inserting after ``lobbying activities'' 
                        the following: ``or political intelligence 
                        activities'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (A)--
                                    (I) by inserting after ``lobbyist'' 
                                the following: ``or political 
                                intelligence consultant''; and
                                    (II) by inserting after ``lobbying 
                                activities'' the following: ``or 
                                political intelligence activities'';
                            (iii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
                        after ``lobbyists'' the following: ``or 
                        political intelligence consultants''; and
                            (iv) in subparagraph (C), by inserting 
                        after ``lobbyists'' the following: ``or 
                        political intelligence consultants'';
                    (B) in paragraph (3)--
                            (i) by inserting after ``lobbying firm'' 
                        the following: ``or political intelligence 
                        firm''; and
                            (ii) by inserting after ``lobbying 
                        activities'' each place that term appears the 
                        following: ``or political intelligence 
                        activities''; and
                    (C) in paragraph (4), by inserting after ``lobbying 
                activities'' each place that term appears the 
                following: ``or political intelligence activities''; 
                and
            (3) in subsection (d)(1), in the matter preceding 
        subparagraph (A), by inserting ``or a political intelligence 
        consultant'' after ``a lobbyist''.
    (d) Disclosure and Enforcement.--Section 6(a) of the Lobbying 
Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1605) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3)(A), by inserting after ``lobbying 
        firms'' the following: ``, political intelligence consultants, 
        political intelligence firms,'';
            (2) in paragraph (7), by striking ``or lobbying firm'' and 
        inserting ``lobbying firm, political intelligence consultant, 
        or political intelligence firm''; and
            (3) in paragraph (8), by striking ``or lobbying firm'' and 
        inserting ``lobbying firm, political intelligence consultant, 
        or political intelligence firm''.
    (e) Rules of Construction.--Section 8(b) of the Lobbying Disclosure 
Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1607(b)) is amended by striking ``or lobbying 
contacts'' and inserting ``lobbying contacts, political intelligence 
activities, or political intelligence contacts''.
    (f) Identification of Clients and Covered Officials.--Section 14 of 
the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1609) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in the heading, by inserting ``or Political 
                Intelligence'' after ``Lobbying'';
                    (B) by inserting ``or political intelligence 
                contact'' after ``lobbying contact'' each place that 
                term appears; and
                    (C) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``or political 
                intelligence activity, as the case may be'' after 
                ``lobbying activity'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in the heading, by inserting ``or Political 
                Intelligence'' after ``Lobbying'';
                    (B) by inserting ``or political intelligence 
                contact'' after ``lobbying contact'' each place that 
                term appears; and
                    (C) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``or political 
                intelligence activity, as the case may be'' after 
                ``lobbying activity''; and
            (3) in subsection (c), by inserting ``or political 
        intelligence contact'' after ``lobbying contact''.
    (g) Annual Audits and Reports by Comptroller General.--Section 26 
of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1614) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by inserting ``political 
        intelligence firms, political intelligence consultants,'' after 
        ``lobbying firms'';
            (2) in subsection (b)(1)(A), by inserting ``political 
        intelligence firms, political intelligence consultants,'' after 
        ``lobbying firms''; and
            (3) in subsection (c), by inserting ``or political 
        intelligence consultant'' after ``a lobbyist''.
                                 <all>