BLAST Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4524
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-13: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-26T16:57:56Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation This bill, known as the Banning Lobbying And Safeguarding Trust Act or BLAST Act, seeks to prevent former Members and elected officers of Congress from lobbying Congress after leaving office. It amends federal law to create a permanent restriction aimed at addressing revolving-door practices between Congress and lobbying.
Key Provisions Outlined
- Core Prohibition: Amends section 207(e) of title 18, United States Code, to bar any former Senator, House Member, or elected officer of either chamber from:
- Registering as a lobbyist under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, or
- Making any communication or appearance before Congress with the intent to influence official actions on behalf of another person (except the United States).
- Expanded Lobbyist Definition: Updates section 3(10) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to include former Members of Congress who are paid to make lobbying contacts or engage in lobbying activities.
- Technical Adjustments: Revises section 207(e)(2) by removing references to elected officers and updating headings for consistency.
- Effective Date: The changes apply only to individuals who leave office on or after the bill’s enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law Introduced
- Replaces the existing paragraph in 18 U.S.C. § 207(e) with a lifetime ban, removing any time-limited cooling-off period for former Members and elected officers.
- Broadens the legal definition of a lobbyist to explicitly cover compensated former Members, even when their activities do not involve direct contacts.
- Narrows the scope of related staff restrictions by excising elected officers from certain provisions.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Requires updates to lobbying registration systems and ethics oversight within the legislative branch to enforce the new lifetime restriction.
- Citizens: May affect public confidence in government by limiting former officials’ post-office advocacy activities.
- International Relations: The bill contains no provisions addressing foreign affairs or international matters.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Current and former Members of Congress and elected officers of the Senate and House.
- Lobbying firms, clients, and individuals seeking to hire former officials.
- Legislative branch employees involved in ethics and disclosure compliance.
- The general public, as the measure targets perceptions of influence in the legislative process.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Establishes a permanent restriction on post-employment communications with Congress, marking a departure from prior time-bound limits in federal ethics law.
- Integrates changes across criminal code provisions and lobbying disclosure rules, creating a unified framework for enforcement through penalties outlined in 18 U.S.C. § 216.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-13: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-05-13: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Banning Lobbying And Safeguarding Trust Act — issued 2026-05-13 — PDF (4 pages)