I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 931 

To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit a former Member of 

Congress from serving as a lobbyist until the former Member has met 

any obligation imposed on the former Member under the Congressional 

Accountability Act of 1995 to reimburse the Treasury for amounts paid 

as settlements and awards under such Act in the case of an act committed personally by the former Member. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 30, 2019 

Mr. WALKER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit a former 

Member of Congress from serving as a lobbyist until 

the former Member has met any obligation imposed on 

the former Member under the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to reimburse the Treasury for 

amounts paid as settlements and awards under such 

Act in the case of an act committed personally by the 

former Member. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Bad Lawmakers Ac3 countability and Key Emends Act’’ or the ‘‘BLAKE Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. BAN ON LOBBYING BY FORMER MEMBERS OF CON5 GRESS FAILING TO MEET REQUIREMENT TO 

6 REIMBURSE AMOUNTS PAID AS SETTLE7 MENTS AND AWARDS UNDER CONGRES8 SIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 1995. 

9 (a) BAN ON LOBBYING.— 

10 (1) LOBBYING BY FORMER SENATORS.—Section 

11 207(e)(1)(A) of title 18, United States Code, is 

12 amended by striking ‘‘within 2 years after that per13 son leaves office’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘prior 

14 to the expiration of the 2-year period which begins 

15 on the date that person leaves office or prior to the 

16 date by which that person meets any requirement of 

17 section 415(d) of the Congressional Accountability 

18 Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1415(d)) which applies to 

19 that person to reimburse the Treasury for certain 

20 awards and settlements paid under such Act (which21 ever occurs later)’’. 

22 (2) LOBBYING BY FORMER MEMBERS OF THE

23 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.—Section 

24 207(e)(1)(B) of such title is amended by striking 

25 ‘‘within 1 year after that person leaves office’’ and 

26 inserting the following: ‘‘prior to the expiration of 


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1 the 1-year period which begins on the date that per2 son leaves office or prior to the date by which that 

3 person meets any requirement of section 415(d) of 

4 the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 

5 U.S.C. 1415(d)) which applies to that person to re6 imburse the Treasury for certain awards and settle7 ments paid under such Act (whichever occurs 

8 later)’’. 

9 (b) BAN ON LOBBYING ON BEHALF OF FOREIGN

10 GOVERNMENTS.—Section 207(f)(1) of such title is amend11 ed by striking ‘‘within 1 year after leaving the position, 

12 office, or employment referred to in such subsection’’ and 

13 inserting the following: ‘‘prior to the expiration of the 1- 

14 year period which begins on the date that person leaves 

15 the position, office, or employment referred to in such sub16 section or, in the case of the position of Member of Con17 gress, prior to the date by which that person meets any 

18 requirement of section 415(d) of the Congressional Ac19 countability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1415(d)) which applies 

20 to that person to reimburse the Treasury for certain 

21 awards and settlements paid under such Act (whichever 

22 occurs later)’’. 

23 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

24 this section shall apply with respect to any individual who, 

25 on or after the date of the enactment of this Act, leaves 


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1 an office to which section 207(e) or section 207(f) of title 

2 18, United States Code, applies. 

Æ 


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