I 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7231 
To amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to expand the scope of 
individuals and activities which are subject to the requirements of such 
Act, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 22, 2026 
Mrs. RAMIREZ (for herself, Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia, Mr. MULLIN, and Ms. 
SIMON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to expand 
the scope of individuals and activities which are subject 
to the requirements of such Act, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Lobbyist Loophole Clo-
sure Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. EXPANDING SCOPE OF INDIVIDUALS AND ACTIVI-
TIES SUBJECT TO REQUIREMENTS OF LOB-
BYING DISCLOSURE ACT OF 1995. 
(a) COVERAGE OF INDIVIDUALS PROVIDING LEGIS-
LATIVE, POLITICAL, AND STRATEGIC COUNSELING SERV-
ICES.— 
(1) TREATMENT OF LEGISLATIVE, POLITICAL, 
AND STRATEGIC COUNSELING SERVICES IN SUPPORT 
OF LOBBYING CONTACTS AS LOBBYING ACTIVITY.— 
Section 3(7) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 
(2 U.S.C. 1602(7)) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘efforts’’ and inserting 
‘‘any efforts’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘research and other back-
ground work’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘counseling in support of such preparation and 
planning activities, research, and other back-
ground work’’. 
(2) TREATMENT OF LOBBYING CONTACT MADE 
WITH SUPPORT OF COUNSELING SERVICES AS LOB-
BYING CONTACT MADE BY INDIVIDUAL PROVIDING 
SERVICES.—Section 3(8) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 
1602(8)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) TREATMENT
OF
PROVIDERS
OF 
COUNSELING
SERVICES.—Any individual, with 
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authority to director or substantially influence 
any lobbying contact made by another indi-
vidual, and for financial or other compensation 
provides counseling services in support of prep-
aration and planning activities which are treat-
ed as lobbying activities under paragraph (7) 
for that other individual’s lobbying contact and 
who has knowledge that the specific lobbying 
contact was made, shall be considered to have 
made the same lobbying contact at the same 
time in the same manner to the covered execu-
tive branch official or covered legislative branch 
official involved.’’. 
(b) REDUCTION OF PERCENTAGE EXEMPTION FOR 
DETERMINATION
OF THRESHOLD
OF LOBBYING CON-
TACTS REQUIRED FOR INDIVIDUALS TO REGISTER AS 
LOBBYISTS.—Section 3(10) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 
1602(10)) is amended by striking ‘‘less than 20 percent’’ 
and inserting ‘‘less than 10 percent’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to lobbying contacts 
made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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