[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 36 (Monday, March 7, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S1319]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 3439. Mr. BENNET submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 524, to authorize the Attorney General to award
grants to address the national epidemics of prescription opioid abuse
and heroin use; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end, add the following:
TITLE VIII--CLOSING THE REVOLVING DOOR
SEC. 801. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Close the Revolving Door
Act of 2016''.
SEC. 802. LIFETIME BAN ON MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FROM LOBBYING.
(a) In General.--Section 207(e)(1) of title 18, United
States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(1) Members of congress.--Any person who is a Senator, a
Member of the House of Representatives, or an elected officer
of the Senate or the House of Representatives and who, 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 or
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 Senator,
Member, or elected official 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.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 207(e)(2) of title 18,
United States Code, is amended--
(1) in the heading, by striking ``Officers and staff'' and
inserting ``Staff'';
(2) by striking ``an elected officer of the Senate, or'';
(3) by striking ``leaves office or employment'' and
inserting ``leaves employment''; and
(4) by striking ``former elected officer or''.
SEC. 803. CONGRESSIONAL STAFF.
Paragraphs (2), (3)(A), (4), (5)(A), and (6)(A) of section
207(e) of title 18, United States Code, are each amended by
striking ``1 year'' and inserting ``6 years''.
SEC. 804. IMPROVED REPORTING OF LOBBYISTS' ACTIVITIES.
Section 6 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C.
1605) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Joint Web Site.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Senate and the
Clerk of the House of Representatives shall maintain a joint
lobbyist disclosure Internet database for information
required to be publicly disclosed under this Act which shall
be an easily searchable Web site called lobbyists.gov with a
stated goal of simplicity of usage.
``(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $100,000 for
fiscal year 2017.''.
SEC. 805. LOBBYIST REVOLVING DOOR TO CONGRESS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section--
(1) the term ``foreign principal'' has the meaning given
that term under section 1(b) of the Foreign Agents
Registration Act of 1938 (22 U.S.C. 611(b));
(2) the terms ``lobbyist'' and ``lobbying contact'' have
the meanings given such terms under section 3 of the Lobbying
Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1603); and
(3) the term ``registered lobbyist'' means a lobbyist
registered under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2
U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).
(b) Prohibition.--Any person who is a registered lobbyist
or an agent of a foreign principal may not, within 6 years
after that person leaves such position, be hired by a Member
or committee of either House of Congress with whom the
registered lobbyist or agent of a foreign principal has had
substantial lobbying contact.
(c) Waiver.--This section may be waived in the Senate or
the House of Representatives by the Select Committee on
Ethics of the Senate or the Committee on Standards of
Official Conduct of the House of Representatives,
respectively, based on a compelling national need.
(d) Substantial Lobbying Contact.--For purposes of this
section, in determining whether a registered lobbyist or
agent of a foreign principal has had substantial lobbying
contact within the applicable period of time, a Member or
committee of either House of Congress shall take into
consideration whether the individual's lobbying contacts have
pertained to pending legislative business, or related to
solicitation of an earmark or other Federal funding,
particularly if such contacts included the coordination of
meetings with the Member or committee, involved presentations
to employees of the Member or committee, or participation in
fundraising (except for the mere giving of a personal
contribution). Simple social contacts with the Member or
committee of either House of Congress and staff, shall not by
themselves constitute substantial lobbying contacts.
SEC. 806. REPORTING BY SUBSTANTIAL LOBBYING ENTITIES.
The Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.)
is amended by inserting after section 6 the following:
``SEC. 6A. REPORTING BY SUBSTANTIAL LOBBYING ENTITIES.
``(a) In General.--A substantial lobbying entity shall file
on an annual basis with the Clerk of the House of
Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate a list of
each employee of, individual under contract with, or
individual who provides paid consulting services to the
substantial lobbying entity who is--
``(1) a former Senator or a former Member of the House of
Representatives; or
``(2) another covered legislative branch official who--
``(A) was paid not less than $100,000 in any 1 year as a
covered legislative branch official;
``(B) worked for a total of not less than 4 years as a
covered legislative branch official; or
``(C) had a job title at any time while employed as a
covered legislative branch official that contained any of the
following terms: `Chief of Staff', `Legislative Director',
`Staff Director', `Counsel', `Professional Staff Member',
`Communications Director', or `Press Secretary'.
``(b) Contents of Filing.--The filing required under this
section shall contain a brief job description of each
individual described in subsection (a) and an explanation of
their work experience under subsection (a) that requires this
filing.
``(c) Improved Reporting of Substantial Lobbying
Entities.--The Joint Web site being maintained by the
Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of
Representatives, known as lobbyists.gov, shall include an
easily searchable database entitled `Substantial Lobbying
Entities' that includes information on all individuals
described in subsection (a).
``(d) Law Enforcement Oversight.--The Clerk of the House of
Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate shall provide
a copy of each filing under subsection (a) to the United
States Attorney for the District of Columbia, to allow the
United States Attorney for the District of Columbia to
determine whether a substantial lobbying entity is
underreporting the lobbying activities of its employees,
individuals under contract, or individuals who provide paid
consulting services.
``(e) Substantial Lobbying Entity.--In this section, the
term `substantial lobbying entity' means an incorporated
entity that employs more than 3 registered lobbyists during a
filing period.''.
SEC. 807. ENHANCED PENALTIES.
Section 7(a) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2
U.S.C. 1606(a)) is amended by striking ``$200,000'' and
inserting ``$500,000''.
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