An Act to amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to make it unlawful for an issuer of securities registered pursuant to section 12 of such Act or an issuer required to file reports pursuant to section 15(d) of such Act to make certain payments to foreign officials and other foreign persons, to require such issuers to maintain accurate records, and for other purposes.
PL 95-213 (S.305), enacted 12/19/1977

91 STAT. 1494 
PUBLIC LAW 95-213—DEC. 19, 1977 
Public Law 95-213 
95th Congress 
An Act 
Dec. 19. 1977 
[S. 305] 
Securities 
Exchange Act of 
1934, 
amendment. 
Foreign Corrupt 
Practices Act of 
1977. 
15 use 78a note. 
Assets, 
transactions and 
dispositions. 
15 use 78m. 
15 use 78/. 
Post, p. 1500. 
Records, 
maintenance. 
Internal 
accounting 
controls, 
establishment. 
Exemption 
directive, 
issuance and 
expiration. 
To amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to make it unlawful for an issuer 
of securities registered pursuant to section 12 of such Act or an issuer 
required to file reports pursuant to section 15(d) of such Act to make certain 
paynients to foreign oflScials and other foreign persons, to require such issuers 
to maintain accurate records, and for other purposes. 
Be it ermcted hy the Seriate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America 
in Congress 
assembled^ 
T I T L E I — F O R E I G N C O R R U P T 
P R A C T I C E S 
SHORT TITLE 
SEC. 101. This title may be cited as the "Foreign Corrupt Practices 
Act of 1977". 
ACCOUNTING STANDARDS 
SEC. 102. Section 13(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(15 U.S.C. 78q(b)) is amended by inserting " ( 1 ) " after " ( b ) " and 
by adding at the end thereof the following: 
"(2) Every issuer which has a class of securities registered pursuant 
to section 12 of this title and every issuer which is required to file 
reports pursuant to section 15(d) of this title shall— 
"(A) make and keep books, records, and accounts, which, in 
reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions 
and dispositions of the assets of the issuer; and 
"(B) devise and maintain a system of internal accounting 
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that— 
"(i) transactions are executed in accordance with manage-
ment's general or specific authorization; 
"(ii) transactions are recorded as necessary (I) to permit 
preparation of financial statements in conformity with gen-
erally accepted accounting principles or any other criteria 
applicable to such statements, and (II) to maintain account-
ability for assets; 
"(iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with 
management's general or specific authorization; and 
"(iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared 
with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appro-
priate action is taken with respect to any differences. 
"(3) (A) With respect to matters concerning the national security 
of the United States, no duty or liability under paragraph (2) of 
this subsection shall be imposed upon any person acting in coopera-
tion with the head of any Federal department or agency responsible 
for such matters if such act in cooperation with such head of a depart-
ment or agency was done upon the specific, written directive of the 
head of such department or agency pursuant to Presidential authority 
to issue such directives. Each directive issued under this paragraph 
shall set forth the specific facts and circumstances with respect to 
which the provisions of this paragraph are to be invoked. Each such 
directive shall, unless renewed in writing, expire one year after the 
date of issuance. 
PUBLIC LAW 95-213—DEC. 19, 1977 
91 STAT. 1495 
"(B) Each head of a Federal department or agency of the United 
States who issues a directive pursuant to this paragraph shall main-
tain a complete file of all such directives and shall, on October 1 of 
each year, transmit a summary of matters covered by such directives 
in force at any time during the previous year to the Permanent Select 
Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives and the 
Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate.". 
File maintenance. 
Annual summary, 
transmittal to 
congressional 
committees. 
FOREIGN CORRUPT PRACTICES BY ISSUERS 
SEC. 103. (a) The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is amended by 
inserting after section 30 the following new section: 
a 
FOREIGN" CORRUPT PRACTICES BY ISSUERS 
"SEC. 30A. (a) It shall be unlawful for any issuer which has a class 
of securities registered pursuant to section 12 of this title or which is 
required to file reports under section 15(d) of this title, or for any 
officer, director, employee, or agent of such issuer or any stockholder 
thereof acting on behalf of such issuer, to make use of the mails or 
any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in 
furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of 
the payment of any money, or oifer, gift, promise to give, or authori-
zation of the giving of anything of value to— 
"(1) any foreign official for purposes of— 
"(A) influencing any act or decision of such foreign official 
in his official capacity, including a decision to fail to perform 
his official functions; or 
"(B) inducing such foreign official to use his influence with 
a foreign government or instrumentality thereof to affect or 
influence any act or decision of such government or instru-
mentality, 
in order to assist such issuer in obtaining or retaining business for 
or with, or directing business to, any person ; 
"(2) any foreign political party or official thereof or any candi-
date for foreign political office for purposes of— 
"(A) influencing any act or decision of such party, official, 
or candidate in its or his official capacity, including a decision 
to fail to perform its or his official functions; or 
" (B) inducing such party, official, or candidate to use its or 
his influence with a foreign government or instrumentality 
thereof to affect or influence any act or decision of such gov-
ernment or instrumentality, 
in order to assist such issuer in obtaining or retaining business for 
or with, or directing business to, any person; or 
"(3) any person, while knowing or having reason to know that 
all or a portion of such money or thing of value will be offered, 
given, or promised, directly or indirectly, to any foreign official, 
to any foreign political party or official thereof, or to any candi-
date for foreign political office, for purposes of— 
" (A) influencing any act or decision of such foreign official, 
political party, party official, or candidate in his or its official 
capacity, including a decision to fail to perform his or its 
official functions; or 
"(B) inducing such foreign official, political party, party 
official, or candidate to use his or its influence with a foreign 
government or instrumentality thereof to affect or influence 
15 use 78dd-l. 
15 use 78/. 
Post, p. 1500. 
91 STAT. 1496 
PUBLIC LAW 95-213—DEC. 19, 1977 
"Foreign 
official." 
Penalties. 
Ante, p. 1495. 
any act or decision of such government or instrumentality, 
in order to assist such issuer in obtaining or retaining business 
for or with, or directing business to, any person. 
"(b) As used in this section, the term 'foreign official' means any 
officer or employee of a foreign government or any department, 
agency, or instrumentality thereof, or any person acting in an official 
capacity for or on behalf of such government or department, agency, 
or instrumentality. Such term does not include any employee of a 
foreign government or any department, agency, or instrumentality 
thereof whose duties are essentially ministerial or clerical.". 
(b)(1) Section 32(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 
U.S.C. 78ff(a)) is amended by inserting "(other than section 30A)" 
immediately after "title" the first place it appears. 
(2) Section 32 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 
78ff) is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new 
subsection: 
"(c) (1) Any issuer which violates section 30A(a) of this title shall, 
upon conviction, be fined not more than $1,000,000. 
"(2) Any officer or director of an issuer, or any stockholder acting 
on behalf of such issuer, who willfully violates section 30A(a) of this 
title shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $10,000, or impris-
oned not more than five yearSj or both. 
"(3) Whenever an issuer is found to have violated section 30A(a) 
of this title, any employee or agent of such issuer who is a United 
States citizen, national, or resident or is otherwise subject to the juris-
diction of the United States (other than an officer, director, or stock-
holder of such issuer), and who willfully carried out the act or prac-
tice constituting such violation shall, upon conviction, be fined not 
more than $10,000, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. 
"(4) Whenever a fine is imposed under paragraph (2) or (3) of this 
subsection upon any officer, director, stockholder, employee, or agent 
of an issuer, such fine shall not be paid, directly or indirectly, by such 
issuer.". 
FOREIGN CORRUPT PRACTICES BY DOMESTIC CONCERNS 
15 use 78dcl-2. 
SEC. 104. (a) It shall be unlawful for any domestic concern, other 
than an issuer which is subject to section 30A of the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934, or any officer, director, employee, or agent of 
such domestic concern or any stockholder thereof acting on behalf of 
such domestic concern, to make use of the mails or any means or instru-
mentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, 
payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment of any 
money, or offer, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving 
of anything of value to— 
(1) any foreign official for purposes of— 
(A) influencing any act or decision of such foreign official 
in his official capacity, including a decision to fail to perform 
his official functions; or 
(B) inducing such foreign official to use his influence with 
a foreign government or instrumentality thereof to affect or 
influence any act or decision of such government or 
instrumentality, 
in order to assist such domestic concern in obtaining or retaining 
business for or with, or directing business to, any person; 
PUBLIC LAW 95-213—DEC. 19, 1977 
91 STAT. 1497 
(2) any foreign political party or official thereof or any candi- 
-
date for foreign political office for purposes of— 
(A) influencing any act or decision of such party, official, 
or candidate in its or his official capacity, including a decision 
r ' 
to fail to perform its or his official functions; or 
(B) inducing such party, official, or candidate to use its or 
his influence with a foreign government or instrumentality 
thereof to affect or influence any act or decision of such gov-
ernment or instrumentality, 
in order to assist such domestic concern in obtaining or retaining 
business for or with, or directing business to, any person; or 
(3) any person, while knowing or having reason to know that 
all or a portion of such money or thing of value will be offered, 
given, or promised, directly or indirectly, to any foreign official, 
to any foreign political party or official thereof, or to any candi-
date for foreign political office, for purposes of— 
•) 
(A) influencing any act or decision of such foreign official, 
political party, party official, or candidate in his or its official 
capacity, including a decision to fail to perform his or its 
official functions; or 
(B) inducing such foreign official, political party, party 
official, or candidate to use his or its influence with a foreign 
government or instrumentality thereof to affect or influence 
any act or decision of such government or instrumentality, 
in order to assist such domestic concern in obtaining or retaining 
business for or with, or directing business to, any person. 
(b)(1)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), any domestic Penalties, 
concern which violates subsection (a) shall, upon conviction, be fined 
not more than $1,000,000. 
(B) Any individual who is a domestic concern and who willfully 
violates subsection (a) shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than 
;;- i 
$10,000, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. 
(2) Any officer or director of a domestic concern, or stockholder 
acting on behalf of such domestic concern, who willfully violates sub-
section (a) shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $10,000, or 
imprisoned not more than five years, or both. 
(3) Whenever a domestic concern is found to have violated subsec-
tion (a) of this section, any employee or agent of such domestic concern 
who is a United States citizen, national, or resident or is otherwise 
subject to the jurisdiction of the United States (other than an officer, 
director, or stockholder acting on behalf of such domestic concern), 
and who willfully carried out the act or practice constituting such 
violation shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $10,000, or 
imprisoned not more than five years, or both. 
(4) Whenever a fine is imposed under paragraph (2) or (3) of this 
subsection upon any officer, director, stockholder, employee, or agent 
of a domestic concern, such fine shall not be paid, directly or indirectly, 
by such domestic concern. 
(c) Whenever it appears to the Attorney General that any domestic Civil action, 
concern, or officer, director, employee, agent, or stockholder thereof, is 
engaged, or is about to engage, in any act or practice constituting a 
violation of subsection (a) of this section, the Attorney General may, 
in his discretion, bring a civil action in an appropriate district court 
of the United States to enjoin such act or practice, and upon a proper 
showing a permanent or temporary injunction or a temporary restrain-
ing order shall be granted without bond. 
91 STAT. 1498 
PUBLIC LAW 95-213—DEC. 19, 1977 
Definitions. 
Domestic and 
Foreign 
Investment 
Improved 
Disclosure Act of 
1977. 
15 u s e 78a note. 
Equity security 
acquisition, 
statement, filing. 
Contents. 
15 u s e 78/. 
15 u s e 80a-51. 
(d) As used in this section: 
(1) The term "domestic concern" means (A) any individual who 
is a citizen, national, or resident of the United States; or (B) anj 
corporation, partnership, association, joint-stock company, busi-
ness trust, unincorporated organization, or sole proprietorship 
which has its principal place of business in the United States, or 
which is organized under the laws of a State of the United States 
or a territory, possession, or commonwealth of the United States. 
(2) The term "foreign official" means any officer or employee of 
a foreign government or any department, agency, or instrumen-
tality thereof, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on 
behalf of any such government or department, agency, or instru-
mentality. Such term does not include any employee of a foreign 
government or any department, agency, or instrumentality thereof 
whose duties are essentially ministerial or clerical. 
(3) The term "interstate commerce" means trade, commerce, 
transportation, or communication among the several States, or 
between any foreign country and any State or between any State 
; 
and any place or ship outside thereof. Such term includes the 
intrastate use of (A) a telephone or other interstate means of 
communication, or (B) any other interstate instrumentality. 
TITLE II—DISCLOSURE 
SEC. 201. This title may be cited as the "Domestic and Foreign 
Investment Improved Disclosure Act of 1977". 
SEC. 202. Section 13(d) (1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(15 U.S.C. 78m) is amended to read as follows: 
"(d) (1) Any person who, after acquiring directly or indirectly the 
beneficial ownership of any equity security of a class which is regis-
tered pursuant to section 12 of this title, or a,nj equity security of an 
insurance company which would have been required to be so registered 
except for the exemption contained in section 12(g)(2)(G) of this 
title, or any equity security issued by a closed-end investment company 
registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, is directly or 
indirectly the beneficial owner of more than 5 per centum of such class 
shall, within ten days after such acquisition, send to the issuer of the 
security at its principal executive office, by registered or certified mail, 
send to each exchange where the security is traded, and file with the 
Commission, a statement containing such of the following information, 
and such additional information, as the Commission may by rules and 
regulations, prescribe as necessary or appropriate in the public interest 
or for the protection of investors— 
"(A) the background, and identity, residence, and citizenship 
of, and the nature of such beneficial ownership by, such person 
and all other persons by whom or on whose behalf the purchases 
have been or are to be effected; 
"(B) the source and amount of the funds or other considera-
tion used or to be used in making the purchases, and if any part 
of the purchase price is represented or is to be represented by 
funds or other consideration borrowed or otherwise obtained for 
the purpose of acquiring, holding, or trading such security, a 
description of the transaction and the names of the parties thereto, 
except that where a source of funds is a loan made in the ordinary 
course of business by a bank, as defined in section 3(a) (6) of this 
title, if the person filing such statement so requests, the name of 
the bank shall not be made available to the public; 
PUBLIC LAW 95-213—DEC. 19, 1977 
91 STAT. 1499 
"(C) if the purpose of the purchases or prospective purchases 
, 
is to acquire control of the business of the issuer of the securities, 
any plans or proposals which such persons may have to liquidate 
such issuer, to sell its assets to or merge it with any other per-
sons, or to make any other major change in its business or corporate 
structure; 
"(D) the number of shares of such security which are bene-
ficially owned, and the number of shares concerning which there 
is a right to acquire, directly or indirectly, by (i) such person, and 
(ii) by each associate of such person, giving the background, 
identity, residence, and citizenship of each such associate; and 
"(E) information as to any contracts, arrangements, or under-
standings with any person with respect to any securities of the 
issuer, including but not limited to transfer of any of the securi-
ties, joint ventures, loan or option arrangements, puts or calls, 
guaranties of loans, guaranties against loss or guaranties of 
profits, division of losses or profits, or the giving or withholding 
of proxies, naming the persons with whom such contracts, arrange-
ments, or understandings have been entered into, and giving the 
details thereof.". 
SEC. 203. Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as Equity security 
amended (15 U.S.C. 78m), is amended by adding at the end thereof ownership, 
the following new subsection: 
statement, filing. 
"(g)(1) ^^J 
person who is directly or indirectly the beneficial 
owner of more than 5 per centum of any security of a class described 
in subsection (d) (1) of this section shall send to the issuer of the 
security and shall file with the Commission a statement setting forth, 
in such form and at such time as the Commission may, by rule, 
prescribe— 
"(A) such person's identity, residence, and citizenship; and 
"(B) the number and description of the shares in which such 
person has an interest and the nature of such interest. 
"(2) If any material change occurs in the facts set forth in the Amendments, 
statement sent to the issuer and filed with the Commission, an amend-
ment shall be transmitted to the issuer and shall be filed with the 
Commission, in accordance with such rules and regulations as the 
Commission may prescribe as necessary or appropriate in the public 
interest or for the protection of investors. 
"(3) When two or more persons act as a partnership, limited part- "Person." 
nership, syndicate, or other group for the purpose of acquiring, hold-
ing, or disposing of securities of an issuer, such syndicate or group 
shall be deemed a 'person' for the purposes of this subsection. 
"(4) In determining, for purposes of this subsection, any percentage 
of a class of any security, such class shall be deemed to consist of the 
amount of the outstanding securities of such class, exclusive of any 
securities of such class held by or for the account of the issuer or a 
subsidiary of the issuer. 
"(5) In exercising its authority under this subsection, the Commis-
sion shall take such steps as it deems necessary or appropriate in the 
public interest or for the protection of investors (A) to achieve cen-
tralized reporting of information regarding ownership, (B) to avoid 
unnecessarily duplicative reporting by and minimize the compliance 
burden on persons required to report, and (C) to tabulate and 
Information, 
promptly make available the information contained in any report filed availability, 
pursuant to this subsection in a manner which will, in the view of the 
Commission, maximize the usefulness of the information to other 
Federal and State agencies and the public. 
91 STAT. 1500 
PUBLIC LAW 95-213—DEC. 19, 1977 
Exemption. 
" (6) The Commission may, by rule or order, exempt, in whole or in 
part, any person or class of persons from any or all of the reporting 
requirements of this subsection as it deems necessary or appropriate 
in the public interest or for the protection of investors. 
Report to 
"(h) The Commission shall report to the Congress within thirty 
Congress. 
months of the date of enactment of this subsection with respect to (1) 
the effectiveness of the ownership reporting requirements contained in 
this title, and (2) the desirability and the feasibility of reducing or 
otherwise modifying the 5 per centum threshold used in subsections 
Ante, p. 1498. 
(d) (1) and (g) (1) of this section, giving appropriate consideration 
to— 
" (A) the incidence of avoidance of reporting by beneficial own-
ers using multiple holders of record; 
"(B) the cost of compliance to persons required to report; 
"(C) the cost to issuers and others of processing and dissemi-
nating the reported information; 
"(D) the effect of such action on the securities markets, includ-
ing the system for the clearance and settlement of securities trans-
actions; 
"(E) the benefits to investors and to the public; 
"(F) any bona fide interests of individuals in the privacy of 
their financial affairs; 
"(G) the extent to which such reported information gives or 
would give any person an undue advantage in connection with 
15 use 78m, 
activities subject to sections 13(d) and 14(d) of this title; 
78n. 
"(H) the need for such information in connection with the 
administration and enforcement of this title; and 
"(I) such other matters as the Commission may deem relevant, 
including the information obtained pursuant to section 13(f) of 
this title.". 
"Held of record." 
SEC. 204. Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is 
15 use 78o. 
amended by inserting immediately before the last sentence the follow-
ing new sentence: "The Commission may, for the purpose of this sub-
sectioil, define by rules and regulations the term 'held of record' as it 
deems necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the pro-
tection of investors in order to prevent circumvention of the provisions 
of this subsection.". 
• 
Approved December 19, 1977. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 95-640 accompanying H.R. 3815 (Comm. on Interstate and 
Foreign Commerce) and No. 95-831 (Comm. of Conference). 
SENATE REPORT No. 95-114 (Comm. on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 123 (1977): 
May. 5, considered and passed Senate. 
Nov. 1, considered and passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 3815. 
Dec. 6, Senate agreed to conference report. 
Dec. 7, House agreed to conference report. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 13, No. 52: 
Dec. 20, Presidential statement.