[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9393 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9393

  To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to treat certain 
   foreign-owned corporations and business organizations as foreign 
  nationals for purposes of the ban on campaign activity, to prohibit 
    foreign-affiliated section 501(c)(4) organizations from making 
    contributions to super PACs or disbursing funds for independent 
  expenditures or electioneering communications, to amend the Foreign 
   Agents Registration Act of 1938 to reform the procedures for the 
 registration of agents of foreign principals under such Act, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            August 20, 2024

Ms. Porter (for herself and Ms. Norton) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition 
     to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to treat certain 
   foreign-owned corporations and business organizations as foreign 
  nationals for purposes of the ban on campaign activity, to prohibit 
    foreign-affiliated section 501(c)(4) organizations from making 
    contributions to super PACs or disbursing funds for independent 
  expenditures or electioneering communications, to amend the Foreign 
   Agents Registration Act of 1938 to reform the procedures for the 
 registration of agents of foreign principals under such Act, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Foreign Political 
Influence Elimination Act of 2024''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
         TITLE I--RESTRICT FOREIGN AND DARK MONEY IN ELECTIONS

Sec. 101. Treatment of certain foreign-owned corporations and 
                            associations as foreign nationals for 
                            purposes of ban on campaign activity.
Sec. 102. Prohibiting foreign-affiliated section 501(c) organizations 
                            from making certain election-related 
                            disbursements.
Sec. 103. Activities subject to ban.
Sec. 104. Prohibiting acceptance of contributions from foreign agents.
Sec. 105. Effective date.
      TITLE II--REFORM OF FOREIGN AGENTS REGISTRATION ACT OF 1938

Sec. 201. Repealing exemption from registration under Foreign Agents 
                            Registration Act of 1938 for persons filing 
                            disclosure reports under Lobbying 
                            Disclosure Act of 1995.
Sec. 202. Conditions for exemption for persons providing legal 
                            representation.
Sec. 203. Treatment of informational materials.
Sec. 204. Foreign agents registration civil enforcement.
Sec. 205. Authorizing imposition and collection of registration fees.
Sec. 206. Establishment of FARA investigation and enforcement unit 
                            within Department of Justice.
Sec. 207. Comprehensive strategy to improve enforcement and 
                            administration.
Sec. 208. Analysis by Government Accountability Office.
Sec. 209. Definition.
Sec. 210. Effective date.

         TITLE I--RESTRICT FOREIGN AND DARK MONEY IN ELECTIONS

SEC. 101. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN FOREIGN-OWNED CORPORATIONS AND 
              ASSOCIATIONS AS FOREIGN NATIONALS FOR PURPOSES OF BAN ON 
              CAMPAIGN ACTIVITY.

    Section 319(b) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 
U.S.C. 30121(b)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(b) Definition.--
            ``(1) In general.--As used in this section, the term 
        `foreign national' means--
                    ``(A) an individual who is not a citizen of the 
                United States or a national of the United States, as 
                defined in section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and 
                Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22)), and who is not 
                lawfully admitted for permanent residence, as defined 
                by section 101(a)(20) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 
                1101(a)(20);
                    ``(B) a person outside of the United States, unless 
                it is established that such person is an individual who 
                is a citizen of the United States, or that such person 
                is not an individual and is organized under or created 
                by the laws of the United States or of any State or 
                other place subject to the jurisdiction of the United 
                States and has its principal place of business within 
                the United States;
                    ``(C) a government of a foreign country or an 
                official of the government of a foreign country, as 
                defined in section 1(e) of the Foreign Agents 
                Registration Act of 1938 (22 U.S.C. 611(e)), a foreign 
                political party, as defined in section 1(f) of such Act 
                (22 U.S.C. 611(f)), or a corporation principally owned 
                or controlled by the government of a foreign country or 
                an official of the government of a foreign country, 
                including a separate segregated fund of such a 
                corporation under section 316;
                    ``(D) a corporation (other than a corporation 
                described in subparagraph (C)), partnership, 
                association, organization, or other combination of 
                persons organized under the laws of or having its 
                principal place of business in a foreign country, 
                including a separate segregated fund of such a 
                corporation under section 316;
                    ``(E) a corporation, partnership, association, or 
                other business organization or entity in which one or 
                more foreign nationals described in subparagraph (C) 
                holds, owns, controls, or otherwise has directly or 
                indirectly acquired beneficial ownership of equity or 
                voting shares in an aggregate amount equal to or 
                greater than 5 percent of total equity or outstanding 
                voting shares (as determined by excluding any equity or 
                shares owned by a mutual fund), including a separate 
                segregated fund of such a corporation under section 
                316; or
                    ``(F) a corporation, partnership, association, or 
                other business organization or entity in which one or 
                more foreign nationals (other than those described in 
                subparagraph (C)) holds, owns, controls, or otherwise 
                has directly or indirectly acquired beneficial 
                ownership of equity or voting shares in an aggregate 
                amount equal to or greater than 20 percent of total 
                equity or outstanding voting shares (as determined by 
                excluding any equity or shares owned by a mutual fund), 
                including a separate segregated fund of such a 
                corporation.
            ``(2) Use of quarterly sec reports.--In the case of a 
        corporation or other entity which is required to file quarterly 
        reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission under 
        section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 
        78m), the determination as to whether a corporation or entity 
        is described in subparagraph (D), (E), or (F) shall be based on 
        the most recent such report.''.

SEC. 102. PROHIBITING FOREIGN-AFFILIATED SECTION 501(C) ORGANIZATIONS 
              FROM MAKING CERTAIN ELECTION-RELATED DISBURSEMENTS.

    Title III of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 
30101 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:

``SEC. 325. PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN ELECTION-RELATED DISBURSEMENTS BY 
              FOREIGN-AFFILIATED SECTION 501(C) ORGANIZATIONS.

    ``(a) Prohibition.--It is unlawful for a foreign-affiliated section 
501(c) organization to make an election-related disbursement described 
in subsection (b).
    ``(b) Election-Related Disbursement Described.--An election-related 
disbursement described in this subsection is any of the following:
            ``(1) A contribution to a super PAC.
            ``(2) An independent expenditure.
            ``(3) The disbursement of funds for the dissemination of an 
        electioneering communication.
            ``(4)  A covered transfer.
    ``(c) Definition of Foreign-Affiliated Section 501(c) 
Organization.--In this section, a `foreign-affiliated section 501(c) 
organization' is a section 501(c) organization with respect to which--
            ``(1) the amount of contributions provided to the 
        organization by foreign nationals described in subparagraph (C) 
        of section 319(b)(1) was equal to or greater than 5 percent of 
        the gross receipts of the organization, as determined on the 
        basis of the most recent taxable year for which information on 
        the gross receipts of the organization is available or, in the 
        case of an organization which is required to file quarterly 
        reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission under 
        section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 
        78m), the most recent such report, or
            ``(2) the amount of contributions provided to the 
        organization by all foreign nationals described in section 
        319(b) was equal to or greater than 20 percent of the gross 
        receipts of the organization, as determined on the basis of the 
        most recent taxable year for which information on the gross 
        receipts of the organization is available or, in the case of an 
        organization which is required to file quarterly reports with 
        the Securities and Exchange Commission under section 13 of the 
        Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m), the most 
        recent such report.
    ``(d) Definition of Covered Transfer.--
            ``(1) In general.--In this section, the term `covered 
        transfer' means any transfer or payment of funds by a foreign-
        affiliated section 501(c) organization to another person if the 
        foreign-affiliated section 501(c) organization--
                    ``(A) designates, requests, or suggests that the 
                amounts be used for--
                            ``(i) election-related disbursements (other 
                        than covered transfers); or
                            ``(ii) making a transfer to another person 
                        for the purpose of making or paying for such 
                        election-related disbursements;
                    ``(B) made such transfer or payment in response to 
                a solicitation or other request for a donation or 
                payment for--
                            ``(i) the making of or paying for election-
                        related disbursements (other than covered 
                        transfers); or
                            ``(ii) making a transfer to another person 
                        for the purpose of making or paying for such 
                        election-related disbursements;
                    ``(C) engaged in discussions with the recipient of 
                the transfer or payment regarding--
                            ``(i) the making of or paying for election-
                        related disbursements (other than covered 
                        transfers); or
                            ``(ii) donating or transferring any amount 
                        of such transfer or payment to another person 
                        for the purpose of making or paying for such 
                        election-related disbursements; or
                    ``(D) knew or had reason to know that the person 
                receiving the transfer or payment would make election-
                related disbursements in an aggregate amount of 
                $123,900 or more during the 2-year period beginning on 
                the date of the transfer or payment.
            ``(2) Exclusions.--The term `covered transfer' does not 
        include any of the following:
                    ``(A) A disbursement made by a foreign-affiliated 
                section 501(c) organization in a commercial transaction 
                in the ordinary course of any trade or business 
                conducted by the organization or in the form of 
                investments made by the organization.
                    ``(B) A disbursement made by a foreign-affiliated 
                section 501(c) organization if--
                            ``(i) the organization prohibited, in 
                        writing, the use of such disbursement for 
                        election-related disbursements; and
                            ``(ii) the recipient of the disbursement 
                        agreed to follow the prohibition and deposited 
                        the disbursement in an account which is 
                        segregated from an election-related 
                        disbursement segregated fund and any other 
                        account used to make election-related 
                        disbursements.
            ``(3) Special rule regarding transfers among affiliates.--
                    ``(A) Special rule.--A transfer of an amount by one 
                foreign-affiliated section 501(c) organization to 
                another foreign-affiliated section 501(c) organization 
                which is treated as a transfer between affiliates under 
                subparagraph (C) shall be considered a covered transfer 
                by the organization which transfers the amount only if 
                the aggregate amount transferred during the year by 
                such organization to that same organization is equal to 
                or greater than $123,900.
                    ``(B) Determination of amount of certain payments 
                among affiliates.--In determining the amount of a 
                transfer between affiliates for purposes of 
                subparagraph (A), to the extent that the transfer 
                consists of funds attributable to dues, fees, or 
                assessments which are paid by individuals on a regular, 
                periodic basis in accordance with a per-individual 
                calculation which is made on a regular basis, the 
                transfer shall be attributed to the individuals paying 
                the dues, fees, or assessments and shall not be 
                attributed to the foreign-affiliated section 501(c) 
                organization.
                    ``(C) Description of transfers between 
                affiliates.--A transfer of amounts from one foreign-
                affiliated section 501(c) organization to another 
                foreign-affiliated section 501(c) organization shall be 
                treated as a transfer between affiliates if--
                            ``(i) one of the organizations is an 
                        affiliate of the other organization; or
                            ``(ii) each of the organizations is an 
                        affiliate of the same organization,
                except that the transfer shall not be treated as a 
                transfer between affiliates if one of the organizations 
                is established for the purpose of making election-
                related disbursements.
                    ``(D) Determination of affiliate status.--For 
                purposes of subparagraph (C), a foreign-affiliated 
                section 501(c) organization is an affiliate of another 
                foreign-affiliated section 501(c) organization if--
                            ``(i) the governing instrument of the 
                        organization requires it to be bound by 
                        decisions of the other organization;
                            ``(ii) the governing board of the 
                        organization includes persons who are 
                        specifically designated representatives of the 
                        other organization or are members of the 
                        governing board, officers, or paid executive 
                        staff members of the other organization, or 
                        whose service on the governing board is 
                        contingent upon the approval of the other 
                        organization; or
                            ``(iii) the organization is chartered by 
                        the other organization.
    ``(e) Other Definitions.--In this section--
            ``(1) the term `electioneering communication' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 304(f)(3);
            ``(2) the term `section 501(c) organization' means an 
        organization described in section 501(c) of the Internal 
        Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 
        501(a) of such Code; and
            ``(3) term `super PAC' means a political committee which 
        accepts donations or contributions that do not comply with the 
        limitations and prohibitions of this Act (or has an account 
        which is established for the purpose of accepting such 
        donations or contributions) and which makes only independent 
        expenditures (or has an account which is established for the 
        purpose of making only independent expenditures).''.

SEC. 103. ACTIVITIES SUBJECT TO BAN.

    (a) Contributions and Donations in Connection With Ballot 
Initiatives and Referenda and Recall Elections.--Section 319(a)(1)(A) 
of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30121(a)(1)(A)) 
is amended by striking ``election;'' and inserting the following: 
``election, including a State or local ballot initiative or referendum 
or recall election;''.
    (b) Coverage of Certain Election-Related Activities.--Section 319 
of such Act (52 U.S.C. 30121) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subsection:
    ``(c) A foreign national shall not direct, dictate, control, or 
directly or indirectly participate in the decision-making process of 
any person, such as a corporation, labor organization, political 
committee, or political organization with regard to such person's 
Federal or non-Federal election-related activities, such as decisions 
concerning the making of contributions, donations, expenditures, or 
disbursements in connection with elections for any Federal, State, or 
local office, including a State or local ballot initiative or 
referendum or recall election, or decisions concerning the 
administration of a political committee.''.

SEC. 104. PROHIBITING ACCEPTANCE OF CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FOREIGN AGENTS.

    Section 315 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 
30116) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(k) Prohibiting Acceptance of Contributions From Foreign 
Agents.--
            ``(1) Direct contributions.--A political committee may not 
        accept any contribution from an individual who, at the time the 
        date the individual makes the contribution, is registered as 
        the agent of a foreign principal under the Foreign Agents 
        Registration Act of 1938 (22 U.S.C. 611 et seq.).
            ``(2) Bundled contributions.--
                    ``(A) Prohibition.--A political committee may not 
                accept any bundled contribution which is provided by an 
                individual who, at the time the individual provides the 
                bundled contribution, is registered as the agent of a 
                foreign principal under the Foreign Agents Registration 
                Act of 1938 (22 U.S.C. 611 et seq.).
                    ``(B) Definition.--In this paragraph, the term 
                `bundled contribution' means, with respect to an 
                individual described in subparagraph (A), a 
                contribution which is--
                            ``(i) forwarded from the contributor or 
                        contributors to the committee by the 
                        individual; or
                            ``(ii) received by the committee from a 
                        contributor or contributors, but credited by 
                        the committee or candidate involved (or, in the 
                        case of a leadership PAC described in 
                        subparagraph (B) of subsection (j)(8), by the 
                        individual referred to in such subparagraph) to 
                        the individual through records, designations, 
                        or other means of recognizing that a certain 
                        amount of money has been raised by the 
                        individual.''.

SEC. 105. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this title shall apply with respect to 
elections occurring after January 2025.

      TITLE II--REFORM OF FOREIGN AGENTS REGISTRATION ACT OF 1938

SEC. 201. REPEALING EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER FOREIGN AGENTS 
              REGISTRATION ACT OF 1938 FOR PERSONS FILING DISCLOSURE 
              REPORTS UNDER LOBBYING DISCLOSURE ACT OF 1995.

    (a) Repeal of Exemption.--Section 3 of the Foreign Agents 
Registration Act of 1938 (22 U.S.C. 613) is amended by striking 
subsection (h).
    (b) Timing of Filing of Registration Statements.--Section 2 of the 
Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (22 U.S.C. 612) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph 
        (1), in the fourth sentence, by striking ``The registration 
        statement shall include'' and inserting ``Except as provided in 
        subsection (h), the registration statement shall include''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(h) Timing for Filing of Statements by Persons Registered Under 
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.--In the case of an agent of a person 
or an entity described in section 1(b) who has registered under the 
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), after the 
agent files the first registration required under subsection (a) in 
connection with the agent's representation of such person or entity, 
the agent shall file all subsequent statements required under this 
section at the same time, and in the same frequency, as the reports 
filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives or the Secretary 
of the Senate (as the case may be) under section 5 of the Lobbying 
Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1604) in connection with the agent's 
representation of such person or entity.''.

SEC. 202. CONDITIONS FOR EXEMPTION FOR PERSONS PROVIDING LEGAL 
              REPRESENTATION.

    Section 3(g) of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (22 
U.S.C. 613(g)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``A 
person may be exempt under this subsection only if the person files 
with the Attorney General a request for such exemption and the Attorney 
General approves the request.''.

SEC. 203. TREATMENT OF INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS.

    (a) Definition.--Section 1 of the Foreign Agents Registration Act 
of 1938 (22 U.S.C. 611) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (c), in the matter preceding paragraph 
        (1), by striking ``Expect'' and inserting ``Except''; and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (i) the following:
    ``(j) The term `informational materials' means any oral, visual, 
graphic, written, or pictorial information or matter of any kind, 
including matter published by means of advertising, books, periodicals, 
newspapers, lectures, broadcasts, motion pictures, social media, or any 
means or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce or 
otherwise.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment Relating to Filing of Informational 
Materials With Attorney General.--Section 4(a) of such Act (22 U.S.C. 
614(a)) is amended by striking ``or foreign commerce'' and inserting 
``or foreign commerce, including electronic mail and social media,''.
    (c) Waiver of Filing Requirement for Unrelated Materials.--Section 
4(a) of such Act (22 U.S.C. 614(a)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``Every person'' and inserting ``(1) Every 
        person''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply with respect to any 
informational material which is disseminated by an agent of a foreign 
principal as part of an activity that is exempt from registration under 
this Act, or as part of an activity which by itself would not require 
registration under this Act.''.
    (d) Method and Form of Disclaimer for Materials Posted Online.--
Section 4(b) of such Act (22 U.S.C. 614(b)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(b) It shall be unlawful'' and inserting 
        ``(b)(1) It shall be unlawful''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(2) In the case of informational materials for or in the 
interests of a foreign principal which are transmitted or caused to be 
transmitted by an agent of a foreign principal by posting on an online 
platform, the agent shall ensure that the conspicuous statement 
required to be placed in such materials under this subsection is placed 
directly with the material posted on the platform and is not accessible 
only through a hyperlink or other reference to another source.
    ``(3) If the Attorney General determines that the application of 
paragraph (2) to materials posted on an online platform is not feasible 
because the length of the conspicuous statement required to be placed 
in materials under this subsection makes the inclusion of the entire 
statement incompatible with the posting of the materials on that 
platform, an agent may meet the requirements of paragraph (2) by 
ensuring that an abbreviated version of the statement, stating that the 
materials are distributed by a foreign agent on behalf of a clearly 
identified foreign principal, is placed directly with the material 
posted on the platform.
    ``(4)(A) For purposes of this subsection, subject to subparagraph 
(B), the term `online platform' means any public-facing website, web 
application, or digital application (including a social network, ad 
network, or search engine) which--
            ``(i)(I) sells qualified political advertisements; and
            ``(II) has 50,000,000 or more unique monthly United States 
        visitors or users for a majority of months during the preceding 
        12 months; or
            ``(ii) is a third-party advertising vendor that has 
        50,000,000 or more unique monthly United States visitors in the 
        aggregate on any advertisement space that it has sold or bought 
        for a majority of months during the preceding 12 months, as 
        measured by an independent digital ratings service accredited 
        by the Media Ratings Council (or its successor).
    ``(B) Such term shall not include any online platform that is a 
distribution facility of any broadcasting station or newspaper, 
magazine, blog, publication, or periodical.
    ``(C) For purposes of this subsection, the term `third-party 
advertising vendor' includes any third-party advertising vendor 
network, advertising agency, advertiser, or third-party advertisement 
serving company that buys and sells advertisement space on behalf of 
unaffiliated third-party websites, search engines, digital 
applications, or social media sites.''.

SEC. 204. FOREIGN AGENTS REGISTRATION CIVIL ENFORCEMENT.

    Section 8 of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (22 U.S.C. 
618) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(i) Civil Enforcement.--
            ``(1) Civil penalties.--
                    ``(A) Registration statements.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Any person who is 
                        required to register under this Act and fails 
                        to file a timely or complete registration 
                        statement required under section 2(a) shall be 
                        subject to a civil fine of not more than 
                        $10,000 for each violation, without regard to 
                        the state of mind of the person.
                            ``(ii) No fines paid by foreign 
                        principals.--If a person is subject to a civil 
                        fine under clause (i), the civil fine may not 
                        be paid, directly or indirectly, by a foreign 
                        principal.
                    ``(B) Supplements.--Any person who is required to 
                file a supplement to a registration statement under 
                section 2(b) and fails to file a timely or complete 
                supplement required under that section shall be subject 
                to a civil fine of not more than $1,000 for each 
                violation, without regard to the state of mind of the 
                person.
                    ``(C) Failure to remedy deficient filings.--Any 
                person who is required to file a registration statement 
                under this Act, receives notice under subsection (g) 
                that the registration statement filed by the person is 
                deficient, and knowingly fails to remedy the deficiency 
                within 60 days after receiving the notice shall, upon 
                proof by a preponderance of the evidence of such 
                knowing failure to remedy the deficiency, be subject to 
                a civil fine of not more than $200,000, depending on 
                the extent and gravity of the violation.
                    ``(D) Other violations.--Any person who knowingly 
                fails to comply with any other provision of this Act 
                shall, upon proof by a preponderance of the evidence of 
                such knowing failure to comply, be subject to a civil 
                fine of not more than $200,000, depending on the extent 
                and gravity of the violation.
            ``(2) Use of fines.--All fines collected under this 
        subsection shall be used to defray the cost of enforcing this 
        Act.''.

SEC. 205. AUTHORIZING IMPOSITION AND COLLECTION OF REGISTRATION FEES.

    (a) Authorization.--The Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (22 
U.S.C. 611 et seq.), as amended by section 205, is further amended by 
adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 16. FEES.

    ``The Attorney General shall establish and collect a registration 
fee, as part of the initial filing requirement and at no other time, to 
help defray the expenses of the Registration Unit, and shall credit 
such fees to this appropriation, to remain available until expended.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment To Repeal Existing Authority.--The 
Department of Justice and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993 
(title I of Public Law 102-395) is amended, under the heading 
``salaries and expenses, general legal activities'', by striking ``In 
addition, notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302, for fiscal year 1993 and 
thereafter, the Attorney General shall establish and collect fees to 
recover necessary expenses of the Registration Unit (to include 
salaries, supplies, equipment and training) pursuant to the Foreign 
Agents Registration Act, and shall credit such fees to this 
appropriation, to remain available until expended.''.

SEC. 206. ESTABLISHMENT OF FARA INVESTIGATION AND ENFORCEMENT UNIT 
              WITHIN DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.

    Section 8 of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as 
amended (22 U.S.C. 618), as amended by section 206, is further amended 
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(j) Dedicated Enforcement Unit.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of enactment of this subsection, the Attorney General 
        shall establish a unit within the counterespionage section of 
        the National Security Division of the Department of Justice 
        with responsibility for the enforcement of this Act.
            ``(2) Powers.--The unit established under this subsection 
        is authorized to--
                    ``(A) take appropriate legal action against 
                individuals suspected of violating this Act; and
                    ``(B) coordinate any such legal action with the 
                United States Attorney for the relevant jurisdiction.
            ``(3) Consultation.--In operating the unit established 
        under this subsection, the Attorney General shall, as 
        appropriate, consult with the Director of National 
        Intelligence, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the 
        Secretary of State.
            ``(4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated to carry out the activities of 
        the unit established under this subsection $10,000,000 for 
        fiscal year 2024 and each succeeding fiscal year.''.

SEC. 207. COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TO IMPROVE ENFORCEMENT AND 
              ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) Implementation of Strategy.--Not later than 120 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall 
promulgate final regulations for the implementation of a comprehensive 
strategy to improve the enforcement and administration of the Foreign 
Agents Registration Act of 1938 (22 U.S.C. 611 et seq.) that addresses 
the following issues:
            (1) The coordination and integration of the work of the 
        agencies that perform investigations of alleged violations of 
        the Act and bring actions (including criminal prosecutions) to 
        enforce the Act with the overall national security efforts of 
        the Department of Justice.
            (2) An assessment of the appropriateness of the exemptions 
        provided under the Act that permit persons who represent the 
        interests of foreign principals to avoid registering under the 
        Act.
            (3) A formal cost-benefit analysis of the appropriateness 
        of the fee structure under the Act.
            (4) An assessment of the value of making advisory opinions 
        under the Act available in whole as an informational resource.
    (b) Review by Inspector General.--
            (1) Review.--The Inspector General of the Department of 
        Justice shall carry out a review of the extent to which the 
        Attorney General has implemented the comprehensive strategy 
        described in subsection (a).
            (2) Report to congress.--The Inspector General of the 
        Department of Justice shall submit a report to the appropriate 
        committees of Congress on the results of the review carried out 
        under paragraph (1) not later than 1 year after the date upon 
        which the comprehensive strategy described in subsection (a) is 
        implemented by the Attorney General.
    (c) Ensuring Electronic Access to Reports Through Searchable 
Website.--
            (1) Report to congress.--The Attorney General, in 
        consultation with the Assistant Attorney General for National 
        Security, shall include in the second annual report submitted 
        to the appropriate committees of Congress under subsection (c) 
        a detailed description of methods to ensure that reports filed 
        under the Foreign Agents Registration Act are filed 
        electronically in a digitized format which will enable the 
        Foreign Agents Registration Unit website database to be fully 
        searchable, machine-readable, sortable, and downloadable.
            (2) Implementation.--After submitting the report containing 
        the information described in paragraph (1), the Attorney 
        General shall implement the methods described in the report.

SEC. 208. ANALYSIS BY GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE.

    Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall--
            (1) carry out an analysis of the effectiveness of the 
        enforcement and administration of the Foreign Agents 
        Registration Act of 1938 (22 U.S.C. 611 et seq.), including the 
        extent to which the amendments made by this title have improved 
        the enforcement and administration of such Act, and taking into 
        account the comprehensive strategy developed and implemented 
        under section 207; and
            (2) submit the analysis to the Attorney General, the 
        Inspector General of the Department of Justice, and the 
        appropriate committees of Congress.

SEC. 209. DEFINITION.

    In this title, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
means--
            (1) the Committees on the Judiciary and Foreign Relations 
        of the Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
        Representatives.

SEC. 210. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this title shall take effect 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.
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