I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5617 
To amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require the disclosure 
of political intelligence activities. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 13, 2008 
Mr. BAIRD (for himself and Ms. SLAUGHTER) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require 
the disclosure of political intelligence activities. 
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 ‘‘Political Intelligence 
Disclosure Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DISCLOSURE OF POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE ACTIVI-
TIES UNDER LOBBYING DISCLOSURE ACT. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclo-
sure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1602) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)— 
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(A) by inserting after ‘‘lobbying activities’’ 
each place that term appears the following: ‘‘or 
political intelligence activities’’; and 
(B) by inserting after ‘‘lobbyists’’ the fol-
lowing: ‘‘or political intelligence consultants’’; 
and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs: 
‘‘(17) POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES.— 
The term ‘political intelligence activities’ means po-
litical intelligence contacts and efforts in support of 
such contacts, including preparation and planning 
activities, research, and other background work that 
is intended, at the time it is performed, for use in 
contacts, and coordination with the political intel-
ligence activities of others. 
‘‘(18) POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE CONTACT.— 
‘‘(A) DEFINITION.—The term ‘political in-
telligence contact’ means any oral or written 
communication (including an electronic commu-
nication) to or from a covered executive branch 
official or a covered legislative branch official, 
the information derived from which is intended 
for use in analyzing securities or commodities 
markets, or in informing investment decisions, 
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that is made on behalf of a client with regard 
to— 
‘‘(i) the formulation, modification, or 
adoption of Federal legislation (including 
legislative proposals); 
‘‘(ii) the formulation, modification, or 
adoption of a Federal rule, regulation, Ex-
ecutive order, or any other program, policy, 
or position of the United States Govern-
ment; or 
‘‘(iii) the administration or execution 
of a Federal program or policy (including 
the negotiation, award, or administration 
of a Federal contract, grant, loan, permit, 
or license). 
‘‘(B) EXCEPTION.—The term ‘political in-
telligence contact’ does not include a commu-
nication that is made by or to a representative 
of the media if the purpose of the communica-
tion is gathering and disseminating news and 
information to the public. 
‘‘(19) POLITICAL
INTELLIGENCE
FIRM.—The 
term ‘political intelligence firm’ means a person or 
entity that has 1 or more employees who are polit-
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ical intelligence consultants to a client other than 
that person or entity. 
‘‘(20) POLITICAL
INTELLIGENCE
CONSULT-
ANT.—The term ‘political intelligence consultant’ 
means any individual who is employed or retained by 
a client for financial or other compensation for serv-
ices that include one or more political intelligence 
contacts.’’. 
(b) REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT.—Section 4 of the 
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1603) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by inserting after ‘‘whichever is 
earlier,’’ the following: ‘‘or a political intel-
ligence consultant first makes a political 
intelligence contact,’’; and 
(ii) by inserting after ‘‘such lobbyist’’ 
each place that term appears the following: 
‘‘or consultant’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2), by inserting after 
‘‘lobbyists’’ each place that term appears the 
following: ‘‘or consultants’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (3)(A)— 
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(i) by inserting after ‘‘lobbying activi-
ties’’ each place that term appears the fol-
lowing: ‘‘and political intelligence activi-
ties’’; and 
(ii) in clause (i), by inserting after 
‘‘lobbying firm’’ the following: ‘‘or political 
intelligence firm’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (3), by inserting after 
‘‘lobbying activities’’ each place that term ap-
pears the following: ‘‘or political intelligence ac-
tivities’’; 
(B) in paragraph (4)— 
(i) in the matter preceding subpara-
graph (A), by inserting after ‘‘lobbying ac-
tivities’’ the following: ‘‘or political intel-
ligence activities’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (C), by inserting 
after ‘‘lobbying activity’’ the following: ‘‘or 
political intelligence activity’’; 
(C) in paragraph (5), by inserting after 
‘‘lobbying activities’’ each place that term ap-
pears the following: ‘‘or political intelligence ac-
tivities’’; 
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(D) in paragraph (6), by inserting after 
‘‘lobbyist’’ each place that term appears the fol-
lowing: ‘‘or political intelligence consultant’’; 
and 
(E) in the matter following paragraph (6), 
by inserting ‘‘or political intelligence activities’’ 
after ‘‘such lobbying activities’’; 
(3) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting after 
‘‘lobbying contacts’’ the following: ‘‘or political 
intelligence contacts’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by inserting after ‘‘lobbying con-
tact’’ the following: ‘‘or political intel-
ligence contact’’; and 
(ii) by inserting after ‘‘lobbying con-
tacts’’ the following: ‘‘and political intel-
ligence contacts’’; and 
(4) in subsection (d)(1), by inserting after ‘‘lob-
bying activities’’ each place that term appears the 
following: ‘‘or political intelligence activities’’. 
(c) REPORTS
BY REGISTERED POLITICAL INTEL-
LIGENCE CONSULTANTS.—Section 5 of the Lobbying Dis-
closure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1604) is amended— 
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(1) in subsection (a), by inserting after ‘‘lob-
bying activities’’ the following: ‘‘and political intel-
ligence activities’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in the matter preceding subpara-
graph (A), by inserting after ‘‘lobbying ac-
tivities’’ the following: ‘‘or political intel-
ligence activities’’; 
(ii) in subparagraph (A)— 
(I) by inserting after ‘‘lobbyist’’ 
the following: ‘‘or political intelligence 
consultant’’; and 
(II) by inserting after ‘‘lobbying 
activities’’ the following: ‘‘or political 
intelligence activities’’; 
(iii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
after ‘‘lobbyists’’ the following: ‘‘or political 
intelligence consultants’’; and 
(iv) in subparagraph (C), by inserting 
after ‘‘lobbyists’’ the following: ‘‘or political 
intelligence consultants’’; 
(B) in paragraph (3)— 
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(i) by inserting after ‘‘lobbying firm’’ 
the following: ‘‘or political intelligence 
firm’’; and 
(ii) by inserting after ‘‘lobbying activi-
ties’’ each place that term appears the fol-
lowing: ‘‘or political intelligence activities’’; 
and 
(C) in paragraph (4), by inserting after 
‘‘lobbying activities’’ each place that term ap-
pears the following: ‘‘or political intelligence ac-
tivities’’; and 
(3) in subsection (d)(1), in the matter pre-
ceding subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘or a political 
intelligence consultant’’ after ‘‘a lobbyist’’. 
(d) DISCLOSURE AND ENFORCEMENT.—Section 6(a) 
of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1605) 
is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (3)(A), by inserting after ‘‘lob-
bying firms’’ the following: ‘‘, political intelligence 
consultants, political intelligence firms,’’; 
(2) in paragraph (7), by striking ‘‘or lobbying 
firm’’ and inserting ‘‘lobbying firm, political intel-
ligence consultant, or political intelligence firm’’; and 
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(3) in paragraph (8), by striking ‘‘or lobbying 
firm’’ and inserting ‘‘lobbying firm, political intel-
ligence consultant, or political intelligence firm’’. 
(e) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.—Section 8(b) of the 
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1607(b)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘or lobbying contacts’’ and inserting 
‘‘lobbying contacts, political intelligence activities, or polit-
ical intelligence contacts’’. 
(f) IDENTIFICATION OF CLIENTS AND COVERED OF-
FICIALS.—Section 14 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 
1995 (2 U.S.C. 1609) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in the heading, by inserting ‘‘OR PO-
LITICAL INTELLIGENCE’’ after ‘‘LOBBYING’’; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘or political intelligence 
contact’’ after ‘‘lobbying contact’’ each place 
that term appears; and 
(C) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘or po-
litical intelligence activity, as the case may be’’ 
after ‘‘lobbying activity’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in the heading, by inserting ‘‘OR PO-
LITICAL INTELLIGENCE’’ after ‘‘LOBBYING’’; 
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(B) by inserting ‘‘or political intelligence 
contact’’ after ‘‘lobbying contact’’ each place 
that term appears; and 
(C) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘or po-
litical intelligence activity, as the case may be’’ 
after ‘‘lobbying activity’’; and 
(3) in subsection (c), by inserting ‘‘or political 
intelligence contact’’ after ‘‘lobbying contact’’. 
(g) ANNUAL AUDITS
AND REPORTS
BY COMP-
TROLLER GENERAL.—Section 26 of the Lobbying Disclo-
sure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1614) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘political in-
telligence firms, political intelligence consultants,’’ 
after ‘‘lobbying firms’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)(1)(A), by inserting ‘‘polit-
ical intelligence firms, political intelligence consult-
ants,’’ after ‘‘lobbying firms’’; and 
(3) in subsection (c), by inserting ‘‘or political 
intelligence consultant’’ after ‘‘a lobbyist’’. 
Æ 
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