Congressional Integrity Act

To amend title 18, United States Code, to establish a uniform 5-year post-employment ban on lobbying by former Members of Congress, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Congressional Integrity Act 2. 5-year post-employment ban on lobbying by former Members of Congress (a) Former Senators Subparagraph (A) of section 207(e)(1) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking within 2 years after that person leaves office within 5 years after that person leaves office (b) Former Members of the House of Representatives Paragraph (1) of section 207(e) of such title is amended by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the following: (B) Members of the House of Representatives Any person who is 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 and 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 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. (C) Officers of the House of Representatives Any person who is an elected officer of the House of Representatives and who, within 1 year after that person leaves office, knowingly makes, with the intent to influence, any communication to or appearance before any Member, officer, or employee of the House of Representatives, 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. . (c) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to any individual who, on or after the date of the enactment of this Act, leaves an office to which section 207(e)(1) of title 18, United States Code, applies. 3. Elimination of 20-percent exemption for former Members of Congress engaging in lobbying (a) Elimination of exemption Section 3(10) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 ( 2 U.S.C. 1602(10) (10) Lobbyist (A) In general Except as provided in subparagraph (B), term lobbyist (B) Exception Subparagraph (A) does not apply to an individual with respect to a client if the individual’s lobbying activities constitute less than 20 percent of the time engaged in the services provided by such individual to that client over a 3-month period. The previous sentence does not apply to an individual if the individual held an office to which subparagraph (A) or subparagraph (B) of section 207(e)(1) of title 18, United States Code, applies. . (b) Effective date The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to lobbying contacts made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Summary: Congressional Integrity 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 amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to revise the definition of "lobbyist." Currently, a lobbyist is an individual who: (1) is employed or retained by a client for compensation, (2) makes more than one lobbying contact, and (3) spends at least 20% of the time working for that client on lobbying activities. This bill broadens the term lobbyist to include an individual who spends less than 20% of the time working for a client on lobbying activities, if that individual is a former Member of Congress.