Stop the Revolving Door in Washington Act

To amend title 18, United States Code, to extend the post-employment restrictions on lobbying by Members of Congress and officers and employees of the legislative branch. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Stop the Revolving Door in Washington Act 2. Extension of post-employment restrictions (a) Extension of restrictions Section 207(e) of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows: (1) Members of Congress Any person who is a Senator or a Member of the House of Representatives and who, within 5 years 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 or Member 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. ; (2) by striking paragraphs (2), (3), (4), (5), and (6) and inserting the following: (2) Officers of the Congress Any person who is an elected officer of the Senate or of the House of Representatives and who, within 2 years 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 elected officer 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. (3) Employees of the Congress Any person who is an employee of the Senate, or an employee of the House of Representatives, to whom paragraph (5)(A) applies and who, within 2 years after the termination of that employment, 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 employee 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. (4) Employees of other legislative offices Any person who is an employee of any other legislative office of the Congress to whom paragraph (5)(B) applies and who, within 2 years after the termination of that employment, 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 employee 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. ; (3) by redesignating paragraphs (7), (8), and (9), as paragraphs (5), (6), and (7), respectively; (4) in paragraph (5), as redesignated— (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking paragraphs (2), (3), (4), and (5) paragraph (3) (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking paragraph (6) paragraph (4) (5) in paragraph (7)(G), as redesignated, by striking (3), (4), or (5) or (3) (b) Conforming amendment Section 103(a) of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 ( 2 U.S.C. 4702(a) paragraph (2), (3), (4), or (5) paragraph (3) 3. Effective date The amendments made by section 2 shall apply to individuals who leave office or employment to which such amendments apply on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Summary: Stop the Revolving Door in Washington Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to increase to five years the post-employment lobbying ban on a former member of the U.S. Senate (currently, two years) or a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (currently, one year). Additionally, the bill increases from one year to two years the post-employment lobbying restrictions on elected officers and certain senior employees of the Senate and House and on other senior legislative branch employees.