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To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit former Members and elected officers of Congress from lobbying Congress at any time after leaving office.
Summary
The bill would prohibit former Senators, Members of Congress, and elected congressional officers from lobbying Congress at any time after leaving office. Violators would be subject to criminal penalties under federal law. The bill defines lobbying broadly to include any person employed or retained by a client for services that include lobbying contacts or lobbying activities, whether or not they involve direct contact with members or staff. The prohibition applies to anyone who registers as a lobbyist under the Lobbying Disclosure Act or makes communications or appearances before Congress with intent to influence legislative action on behalf of any person except the United States. The amendments apply to individuals who leave office on or after the date of enactment.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL] (R-FL)
1 cosponsor
Actions (2)
- May 13, 2026 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. · senate
- May 13, 2026 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 13, 2026
Mr. Scott of Florida (for himself and Ms. Warren) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit former Members and elected officers of Congress from lobbying Congress at any time after leaving office.
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 “Banning Lobbying And Safeguarding Trust Act” or the “BLAST Act”.
SEC. 2. PROHIBITING FORMER MEMBERS AND OFFICERS OF CONGRESS FROM LOBBYING CONGRESS.
(a) Prohibition.—Section 207(e) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
“(1) Members and elected officers 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—
“(A) registers as a lobbyist under section 4 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1603), or
“(B) 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 Congress, on behalf of any other person (except the United States) in connection with any matter on which the 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.”.
(b) Lobbyist Definition.—Section 3(10) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1602(10)) is amended—
(1) by striking “‘lobbyist’ means any” and inserting “‘lobbyist’—
“(A) means any”;
(2) by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
“(B) includes any former Member of Congress who is employed or retained by a client for financial or other compensation—
“(i) for services that include making 1 or more lobbying contacts; or
“(ii) to engage in lobbying activities that do not include making lobbying contacts.”.
(c) Technical and Conforming Amendments.—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 “office or”; and
(4) by striking “former elected officer or”.
(d) Applicability.—The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to an individual who leaves office on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. <all>
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