Lobbying Disclosure Technical Amendments Act of 1996

Summary: Lobbying Disclosure Technical Amendments Act of 1996 - Makes technical amendments to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.  Amends the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 to exempt from its requirements a foreign agent if the agent has engaged in lobbying activities and has registered under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND REFERENCE.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Lobbying 
Disclosure Technical Amendments Act of 1996''.
    (b) Reference.--Whenever in this Act an amendment or repeal is 
expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other 
provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a section or 
other provision of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.

SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF COVERED EXECUTIVE BRANCH OFFICIAL.

    Section 3(3)(F) (2 U.S.C. 1602(3)(F)) is amended by striking 
``7511(b)(2)'' and inserting ``7511(b)(2)(B)''.

SEC. 3. CLARIFICATION OF EXCEPTION TO LOBBYING CONTACT.

    (a) Certain Communications.--Section 3(8)(B)(ix) (2 U.S.C. 
1602(8)(B)(ix)) is amended by inserting before the semicolon the 
following: ``, including any communication compelled by a Federal 
contract, grant, loan, permit, or license''.
    (b) Definition of ``Public Official''.--Section 3(15)(F) (2 U.S.C. 
1602(15)(F)) is amended by inserting ``, or a group of governments 
acting together as an international organization'' before the period.

SEC. 4. INTERESTS.

    (a) Section 4.--Section 4(b)(4)(C) (2 U.S.C. 1603(b)(4)(C)) is 
amended by striking ``direct interest'' and inserting ``significant 
direct interest''.
    (b) Section 5.--Section 5(b)(2)(D) (2 U.S.C. 1604(b)(2)(D)) is 
amended by striking ``of the interest, if any,'' and inserting ``of any 
significant direct interest''.
    (c) Section 14.--Section 14 (2 U.S.C. 1609) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ``a direct interest'' 
        and inserting ``a significant direct interest''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ``a direct interest'' 
        and inserting ``a significant direct interest''.

SEC. 5. ESTIMATES BASED ON TAX REPORTING SYSTEM.

    (a) Section 15(a).--Section 15(a) (2 U.S.C. 1610 (a)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``A registrant'' and inserting ``A person, 
        other than a lobbying firm,''; and
            (2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
            ``(2) for all other purposes consider as lobbying contacts 
        and lobbying activities only--
                    ``(A) lobbying contacts with covered legislative 
                branch officials (as defined in section 3(4)) and 
                lobbying activities in support of such contacts; and
                    ``(B) lobbying of Federal executive branch 
                officials to the extent that such activities are 
                influencing legislation as defined in section 4911(d) 
                of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.''.&lt;plus-minus&gt;
    (b) Section 15(b).--Section 15(b) (2 U.S.C. 1610(b)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``A registrant that is subject to'' and 
        inserting ``A person, other than a lobbying firm, who is 
        required to account and does account for lobbying expenditures 
        pursuant to''; and
            (2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
            ``(2) for all other purposes consider as lobbying contacts 
        and lobbying activities only--
                    ``(A) lobbying contacts with covered legislative 
                branch officials (as defined in section 3(4)) and 
                lobbying activities in support of such contacts; and
                    ``(B) lobbying of Federal executive branch 
                officials to the extent that amounts paid or costs 
                incurred in connection with such activities are not 
                deductible pursuant to section 162(e) of the Internal 
                Revenue Code of 1986.''.
    (c) Section 5(c).--Section 5(c) (2 U.S.C. 1604(c)) is amended by 
striking paragraph (3).

SEC. 6. DISCLOSURE OF INDIVIDUAL REGISTERED LOBBYISTS.

    Section 5(b) (2 U.S.C. 1604(b))--
            (1) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``and'' at the end of 
        subparagraph (B), by striking subparagraph (C), and by 
        redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (C), and
            (2) by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) as 
        paragraphs (3), (4), and (5), respectively, and by adding after 
        paragraph (1) the following:
            ``(2) a list of employees of the registrant who acted as 
        lobbyists on behalf of the client during the semi-annual 
        reporting period;''.

SEC. 7. EXEMPTION BASED ON REGISTRATION UNDER LOBBYING ACT.

    Section 3(h) of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (22 
U.S.C. 613(h)) is amended by striking ``is required to register and 
does register'' and inserting ``has engaged in lobbying activities and 
has registered''.

SEC. 8. FURNISHING INFORMATION.

    (a) Information to Agency or Official of Government.--Section 4(e) 
of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (22 U.S.C. 614(e)) is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``political propaganda'' and inserting 
        ''informational materials''; and
            (2) by striking ``the propaganda'' and inserting ``the 
        informational materials''.
    (b) Reports.--Section 11 of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 
1938 (22 U.S.C. 621) is amended by striking ``political propaganda'' 
and inserting ``informational materials''.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 29, 1996.

            Attest:

                                                ROBIN H. CARLE,

                                                                 Clerk.