Close the Revolving Door Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- S. 1850
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-05-21: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-05T21:34:30Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The "Close the Revolving Door Act of 2025" aims to restrict former members of Congress and congressional staff from engaging in lobbying activities after leaving office, while improving transparency in lobbying disclosures. It seeks to prevent conflicts of interest by limiting the "revolving door" between government service and private lobbying, promoting ethical standards in the legislative branch.
Key Provisions
- Lifetime Ban on Former Members of Congress: Former Senators, House Members, or elected officers of Congress are permanently prohibited from lobbying or communicating with Congress on behalf of any non-government entity to influence official actions.
- Extended Restrictions for Congressional Staff: The cooling-off period (waiting time before lobbying) for senior congressional staff is increased from 1 year to 6 years.
- Enhanced Lobbying Disclosure Website: Creates a user-friendly, searchable public website called lobbyists.gov, jointly maintained by the Senate Secretary and House Clerk, to display lobbying registration and disclosure information. Authorizes $100,000 in funding for fiscal year 2026.
- Ban on Hiring Lobbyists for Congressional Roles: Prohibits Members of Congress or committees from hiring registered lobbyists or agents of foreign principals (representatives acting on behalf of foreign entities) for 6 years if the individual had "substantial lobbying contact" (e.g., meetings, presentations, or fundraising coordination related to legislation or funding, but not casual social interactions). Waivers are possible for national security needs via ethics committees.
- Reporting Requirements for Major Lobbying Firms: "Substantial lobbying entities" (firms with more than 3 registered lobbyists) must annually report to Congress any former high-level legislative officials they employ, contract with, or consult, including those who earned $100,000+ annually, served 4+ years, or held senior titles like Chief of Staff. Reports include job descriptions and must be searchable on lobbyists.gov, with copies sent to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia for enforcement oversight.
- Increased Penalties: Raises civil fines for violating lobbying disclosure rules from up to $200,000 to $500,000 per violation.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends Section 207(e) of Title 18, U.S. Code (federal ethics law on post-employment restrictions) to impose a lifetime lobbying ban on former Members (previously a 1-year ban) and extend staff bans to 6 years.
- Modifies the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. §§ 1601 et seq.) by adding requirements for the new website, hiring prohibitions, entity reporting, and higher fines, enhancing transparency and enforcement without altering core registration rules.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies and Congress: Increases ethical barriers for hiring experienced lobbyists into staff roles, potentially slowing recruitment but strengthening public trust in legislative independence. Ethics committees gain more oversight through waivers and enforcement referrals.
- On Citizens: Improves public access to lobbying data via a simple online database, enabling better monitoring of influence peddling and former officials' activities, which could foster greater transparency in policymaking.
- On International Relations: Restricts former foreign agents from congressional roles, potentially limiting foreign influence in U.S. legislation but requiring careful waiver use to avoid diplomatic tensions in national security cases.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Former and Current Members of Congress and Staff: Face stricter lifelong or extended bans on lobbying or returning to government roles, limiting post-service career options in advocacy.
- Lobbying Firms and Entities: "Substantial" firms must disclose former officials, facing higher fines and scrutiny, which could increase compliance costs and reduce hiring of ex-government talent.
- Congressional Committees and Members: Cannot easily hire lobbyists with recent contacts, impacting staffing but promoting impartiality; ethics committees handle waivers.
- Public and Watchdog Groups: Benefit from enhanced disclosures on lobbyists.gov, aiding oversight of government influence.
- Foreign Entities: Agents representing foreign interests face hiring barriers, affecting their access to U.S. legislative processes.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal Implications: Bolsters federal anti-corruption frameworks by closing loopholes in post-employment rules, with stronger penalties and U.S. Attorney involvement for potential criminal probes. Definitions like "substantial lobbying contact" provide clear guidelines to avoid vague enforcement.
- Constitutional Implications: Aligns with Congress's authority to regulate its internal ethics (under Article I) and does not infringe on free speech, as restrictions target official influence rather than general advocacy; courts have upheld similar revolving door laws.
- Political Implications: Could reduce special interest sway over legislation by deterring officials from lobbying careers, but may spark debate over limiting expertise in government or private sectors. As a Senate-introduced bill referred to the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, it reflects bipartisan interest in reform but faces implementation challenges in a divided Congress.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Recent Actions
- 2025-05-21: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 2025-05-21: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Close the Revolving Door Act of 2025 — issued 2025-05-21 — PDF (7 pages)