Lobbying Disclosure Enhancement Act

Bill: 111-hr-5751
Sponsor: Rep. Kilroy, Mary Jo [D-OH-15]
Introduced: 2010-07-15 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Department of Justice
Executive agency funding and structure
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Public participation and lobbying
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2010-07-15
text: 
Fee on Lobbyists Act - Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require each registrant to pay an annual fee of $25 to the Clerk of the House of Representatives and $25 to the Secretary of the Senate when filing the lobbyist registration and when filing the first quarterly report for each year. Applies this requirement to new registrations.
 
Directs the Clerk and the Secretary to reconcile their databases so that information in them is compatible and easily comparable.
 
Sets a penalty for failure to file timely reports of $500 for a first failure and $1,000 for a second or subsequent failure. Makes funds from such fines available for the review and auditing of registrant filings and reports.
 
 Requires the Clerk and the Secretary to maintain and make publicly available a list of all persons who fail to file required reports by the required dates. Requires removal of a person from that list upon the filing of the report and payment of the fine.

action_date: 2010-07-28
text: 
Lobbying Disclosure Enhancement Act - Directs the Attorney General to establish the Lobbying Disclosure Act Enforcement Task Force, which shall: (1) have primary responsibility for investigating and prosecuting each case referred to the Attorney General involving a lobbyist or lobbying firm that has been notified that it may be in noncompliance with the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 and that has failed to provide an appropriate response within 60 days; and (2) collect and disseminate information regarding enforcement of such Act. Authorizes appropriations.
 
Amends such Act to: (1) provide for referral of cases to the Attorney General (current law provides for referrals to the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia); and (2) require the Attorney General's enforcement report to specified congressional committees to include the name of the individual lobbyists or lobbying firms involved in each case.
 
Authorizes the Attorney General to make recommendations to Congress regarding: (1) the enforcement of and compliance with such Act; and (2) the need for resources available for the enhanced enforcement of such Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-08-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2010-07-29
text: Received in the Senate.
action_date: 2010-07-28
text: The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2010-07-28
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2010-07-28
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6204)
action_date: 2010-07-28
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H6204)
action_date: 2010-07-28
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5751.
action_date: 2010-07-28
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6204-6206)
action_date: 2010-07-28
text: Mr. Scott (VA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2010-07-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2010-07-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2010-07-15
text: Introduced in House