BLAST Act

Subjects: Crime and Law Enforcement, Congressional officers and employees, Members of Congress, Public participation and lobbying

Summary:  <p><b>Banning Lobbying and Safeguarding Trust Act or the BLAST Act</b></p> <p>This bill revises the post-employment lobbying ban on former Members and elected officers of Congress. </p> <p>Specifically, it imposes a permanent ban on lobbying contacts by a former Senator (currently, a two-year ban), a former Member of the House of Representatives (currently, a one-year ban), or a former elected officer of the House or Senate (currently, a one-year ban).</p>

<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 88 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 88

 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.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 25, 2023

    Mr. Braun (for himself and Mr. Scott of Florida) 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, 
        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) 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''.
    (c) 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.
                                 &lt;all&gt;
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