Close the Revolving Door Act of 2015

To provide greater controls and restrictions on revolving door lobbying. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Close the Revolving Door Act of 2015 2. Lifetime ban on Members of Congress from lobbying (a) In general Section 207(e)(1) of title 18, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: (1) Members 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 the Congress, on behalf of any other person (except the United States) in connection with any matter on which such 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 of this title. . (b) Conforming amendment Section 207(e)(2) of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) in the heading, by striking Officers and staff Staff (2) by striking an elected officer of the Senate, or (3) by striking leaves office or employment leaves employment (4) by striking former elected officer or 3. Congressional staff Paragraphs (2), (3)(A), (4), (5)(A), and (6)(A) of section 207(e) of title 18, United States Code, are each amended by striking 1 year 6 years 4. Improved reporting of lobbyists’ activities Section 6 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 ( 2 U.S.C. 1605 (c) Joint web site (1) In general The Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives shall maintain a joint lobbyist disclosure Internet database for information required to be publicly disclosed under this Act which shall be an easily searchable Web site called lobbyists.gov with a stated goal of simplicity of usage. (2) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $100,000 for fiscal year 2016. . 5. Lobbyist revolving door to Congress (a) Definitions In this section— (1) the term foreign principal 22 U.S.C. 611(b) (2) the terms lobbyist lobbying contact 2 U.S.C. 1603 (3) the term registered lobbyist 2 U.S.C. 1601 et seq. (b) Prohibition Any person who is a registered lobbyist or an agent of a foreign principal may not, within 6 years after that person leaves such position, be hired by a Member or committee of either House of Congress with whom the registered lobbyist or agent of a foreign principal has had substantial lobbying contact. (c) Waiver This section may be waived in the Senate or the House of Representatives by the Select Committee on Ethics of the Senate or the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of the House of Representatives, respectively, based on a compelling national need. (d) Substantial lobbying contact For purposes of this section, in determining whether a registered lobbyist or agent of a foreign principal has had substantial lobbying contact within the applicable period of time, a Member or committee of either House of Congress shall take into consideration whether the individual's lobbying contacts have pertained to pending legislative business, or related to solicitation of an earmark or other Federal funding, particularly if such contacts included the coordination of meetings with the Member or committee, involved presentations to employees of the Member or committee, or participation in fundraising (except for the mere giving of a personal contribution). Simple social contacts with the Member or committee of either House of Congress and staff, shall not by themselves constitute substantial lobbying contacts. 6. Reporting by substantial lobbying entities The Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 ( 2 U.S.C. 1601 et seq. 6A. Reporting by substantial lobbying entities (a) In general A substantial lobbying entity shall file on an annual basis with the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate a list of each employee of, individual under contract with, or individual who provides paid consulting services to the substantial lobbying entity who is— (1) a former Senator or a former Member of the House of Representatives; or (2) another covered legislative branch official who— (A) was paid not less than $100,000 in any 1 year as a covered legislative branch official; (B) worked for a total of not less than 4 years as a covered legislative branch official; or (C) had a job title at any time while employed as a covered legislative branch official that contained any of the following terms: Chief of Staff Legislative Director Staff Director Counsel Professional Staff Member Communications Director Press Secretary (b) Contents of filing The filing required under this section shall contain a brief job description of each individual described in subsection (a) and an explanation of their work experience under subsection (a) that requires this filing. (c) Improved reporting of substantial lobbying entities The Joint Web site being maintained by the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, known as lobbyists.gov, shall include an easily searchable database entitled Substantial Lobbying Entities (d) Law enforcement oversight The Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate shall provide a copy of each filing under subsection (a) to the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, to allow the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia to determine whether a substantial lobbying entity is underreporting the lobbying activities of its employees, individuals under contract, or individuals who provide paid consulting services. (e) Substantial lobbying entity In this section, the term substantial lobbying entity . 7. Enhanced penalties Section 7(a) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 ( 2 U.S.C. 1606(a) $200,000 $500,000

Summary: Close the Revolving Door Act of 2015 This bill amends the federal criminal code to impose a lifetime ban on any former Senator, Member of the House of Representatives, or elected officer of the Senate or House of Representatives lobbying any current Member, officer, or employee of Congress or any employee of any other legislative office. (Currently the ban is for two years after a Senator leaves office and one year after a Member of the House of Representatives leaves office). The ban is extended from one to six years for officers and employees of the Senate, personal staff of Members, committee staff, leadership staff, and other legislative offices. A registered lobbyist or agent of a foreign principal may not be hired for a six-year period by a Member of Congress or a congressional committee with which the lobbyist or agent has had a substantial lobbying contact. This bill also amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to: direct the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives to maintain a joint lobbyist disclosure Internet database for information required to be publicly disclosed by that Act, require a substantial lobbying entity to file with Congress a list of each employee of, contractor with, or paid consultant to the substantial lobbying entity and who is a former Member of Congress or another highly-paid covered legislative branch official, and increase the civil penalty for violations of the disclosure or reporting requirements of such Act.