Foreign Agents Registration Modernization Act of 2021
Bill: S.3172 | Sponsor: Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. (R-WY)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Foreign Agents Registration Modernization Act of 2021
This bill modifies requirements related to the electronic database that contains the registrations that an agent of a foreign principal must file with the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Specifically, DOJ must establish and maintain the free and publicly accessible National Foreign Agents Database, which must make such foreign agent registrations searchable, sortable, and downloadable. The database must also make filed registrations and supplements immediately available for public inspection. (Currently, DOJ is required maintain a database with these features, but only to the extent that the features are technically practicable.)
The database must also meet federal standards for making digital information accessible to individuals with disabilities.

To amend the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended, to 
 require registration statements filed under that Act to be filed in a 
  structured data format to enable the statements to be digitized for 
purposes of the publicly available electronic database maintained under 
                   that Act, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Foreign Agents Registration 
Modernization Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. MODIFICATIONS RELATING TO FARA REGISTRATION STATEMENTS.

    (a) Format.--
            (1) In general.--Section 2(g) of the Foreign Agents 
        Registration Act of 1938, as amended (22 U.S.C. 612(g)), is 
        amended--
                    (A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
                ``Electronic'' and inserting ``Format for''; and
                    (B) by striking ``shall be filed'' and all that 
                follows through the period at the end and inserting the 
                following: ``shall be filed in--
            ``(1) an electronic, structured data format under which the 
        statement or supplement shall be published in a publicly 
        available, machine-processable digital format for purposes of 
        the National Foreign Agents Database under section 6(d)(1); and
            ``(2) such other formats as the Attorney General may 
        require.''.
            (2) Effective date.--The amendments made by paragraph (1) 
        shall apply with respect to statements and supplements filed 
        under section 2 of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, 
        as amended (22 U.S.C. 612), on or after the date that is 180 
        days after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (b) Electronic Database.--
            (1) Searchability and sortability; designation.--Section 
        6(d) of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended 
        (22 U.S.C. 616(d)), is amended--
                    (A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
                ``Updates'' and inserting ``Supplements''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
                        (A), by striking ``to the extent technically 
                        practicable, an electronic database that'' and 
                        inserting ``an electronic database, to be known 
                        as the `National Foreign Agents Database', 
                        that''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
                        ``includes the information contained in 
                        registration statements and updates'' and 
                        inserting ``includes, in a digitized format 
                        that achieves compliance with the applicable 
                        digital accessibility standards described in 
                        section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
                        (29 U.S.C. 794d), the information contained in 
                        registration statements and supplements''.
            (2) Posting on receipt.--Section 6(d)(2) of the Foreign 
        Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended (22 U.S.C. 
        616(d)(2)), is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``update'' each place it appears 
                and inserting ``supplement''; and
                    (B) by striking ``as soon as technically 
                practicable'' and inserting ``immediately''.
            (3) Effective date.--The amendments made by this subsection 
        shall take effect on the date that is 180 days after the date 
        of enactment of this Act.
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