Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

31 October 1995

Last action

29 November 1995 · Floor

Status

Laid on the table. See S. 1060 for further action.

Summary

Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 - Requires registration with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives (appropriate congressional officials) by any individual lobbyist (or the individual's employer if it employs one or more lobbyists) within 45 days after the individual first makes, or is employed or retained to make, a lobbying contact with either the President, the Vice President, a Member of Congress, or any other specified Federal officer or employee, including certain high-ranking members of the uniformed services. Defines a lobbyist as any individual employed or retained by a client for financial or other compensation for services that include more than one lobbying contact (but not an individual whose lobbying activities constitute less than 20 percent of the time engaged in the services provided to that client over a six-month period). (Sec. 4) Provides for: (1) special registration filing rules in cases involving multiple clients and contacts; and (2) registration termination in cases where a registrant is no longer employed or retained by a client to conduct lobbying activities and does not anticipate any additional lobbying activities for such client. Specifies the contents of such registration. Provides for exemptions from registration requirements above in cases involving lobbying income of $5,000 or less (for a particular client) or total expenses of $20,000 or less (in the case of an organization whose employees engage in lobbying activities on the organization's behalf) (adjusted periodically for inflation) for the semiannual period. (Sec. 5) Requires registrants to file semiannual lobbying activity reports with the appropriate congressional officials. Specifies the contents of such reports. (Sec. 6) Specifies various duties of the appropriate congressional officials for carrying out this Act, including reviewing registrations and reports filed under it, and making copies of them available to the public. (Sec. 7) Sets forth penalties for violations involving the requirements of this Act. (Sec. 9) Amends the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 to: (1) replace references to political propaganda with references to informational materials; and (2) add to the exemption from registration requirements under such Act for certain lawyers providing legal representation to disclosed foreign principals to apply it to such representative actions as judicial proceedings and criminal or civil law enforcement inquiries, investigations, or proceedings. Exempts from the requirements of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 any agent of a foreign government, foreign political party, or other foreign entity not organized for business that registers under this Act. (Sec. 10) Revises (Byrd Amendment) limitations on use of appropriated funds to influence certain Federal contracting and financial transactions, removing obsolete reporting requirements, among other changes. (Sec. 11) Repeals the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act. Repeals provisions of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act and the Housing Act of 1949 relating to lobbyist activities. (Sec. 14) Sets forth special rules for the identification of: (1) foreign and other clients on whose behalf lobbying contacts are made with a covered legislative or executive branch official; and (2) such covered officials. (Sec. 15) Permits tax-exempt charitable organizations required to report lobbying expenses by the Internal Revenue Code to report, under this Act, only good faith estimates of such expenses in order to meet specified reporting (including exemption from such reporting) requirements of this Act. (Sec. 16) Amends provisions of Federal law known as the Ramspeck Act to repeal authority extending competitive status to certain legislative and judicial branch employees involuntarily separated without prejudice from their respective branch, entitling them to transfer to the competitive service in the executive branch. (Sec. 17) Requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to promulgate regulations on the manner and extent that experience in a position other than a competitive one may be considered in making appointments to a competitive position. Prohibits the grant, in such regulations, of any preference based on the fact of service in the legislative or judicial branch. Directs OPM to study excepted service considerations for competitive service appointments relating to this Act. (Sec. 18) Makes certain civic leagues or organizations not organized for profit but operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare, and certain local associations of employees whose net earnings are devoted exclusively to charitable, educational, or recreational purposes, ineligible for Federal funds in any form if they engage in lobbying activities. (Sec. 19) Amends the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 to require the Attorney General to report to Congress semiannually on administrative matters (currently "from time to time") including registration filings. (Sec. 20) Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to: (1) augment the dollar value categories for required disclosure of income, assets, and liabilities of subject individuals, but limiting disclosure requirements for their spouses and dependent children to income, assets, and liabilities held jointly with the subject individual, and leaving unspecified any such amounts or values exceeding $1 million; and (2) require the financial disclosure reports of subject individuals to include the category of the total cash value of any interest of the reporting individual in a qualified blind trust, except under certain circumstances. (Sec. 21) Amends the Federal criminal code to apply to the Deputy United States Trade Representative (Deputy USTR) the same three-year prohibition against representing, aiding, or advising a foreign entity after leaving Government service as applies to the United States Trade Representative (USTR). Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to prohibit any person who has directly represented, aided, or advised a foreign entity in any trade negotiation, or trade dispute, with the United States from being appointed as USTR or Deputy USTR. (Sec. 23) Expresses the sense of the Senate that lobbying expenses should not be tax deductible.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

31 October 1995
Introduced
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Government Reform and Oversight, Rules, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Source: IntroReferral
31 October 1995
Introduced
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Government Reform and Oversight, Rules, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Source: IntroReferral
31 October 1995
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
31 October 1995
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
1 November 1995
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Civil Service.
Source: Committee
2 November 1995
Committee
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee
2 November 1995
Committee
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
Source: Committee
8 November 1995
Vote
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 30 - 0.
Source: Committee
8 November 1995
Committee
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee
13 November 1995
Introduced
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H12193-12194)
Source: IntroReferral
14 November 1995
Calendars
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 181.
Source: Calendars
14 November 1995
Discharge
Committee on Government Reform discharged.
Source: Discharge
14 November 1995
Committee
Committee on Government Reform discharged.
Source: Committee
14 November 1995
Introduced
House Committee on Government Reform Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Nov. 14, 1995.
Source: IntroReferral
14 November 1995
Reported
Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 104-339, Part I.
Source: Committee
14 November 1995
Reported
Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 104-339, Part I.
Source: Committee
15 November 1995
Reported
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 269 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2564 with 2 hours of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit. Upon adoption of this resolution, it shall be in order for the Speaker to declare the House resolved into the Committee of the Whole House for consideration of the bill. Points of order against consideration of the bill for failure to comply with clause 2(l)(6) of rule XI shall be waived. Bill is open to amendments. All points of order against any amendment printed in the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution shall be waived. If H.R. 2564 is passed by the House in a form identical to S. 1060, as passed by the Senate, it shall be in order without intervention of any point of order to consider the Senate bill in the House. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the Senate bill to final passage withou...
Source: Floor
16 November 1995
Floor
The Speaker designated the Honorable Jim Kolbe to act as Chairman of the Committee.
Source: Floor
16 November 1995
Floor
House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 269 and Rule XXIII.
Source: Floor
16 November 1995
Floor
The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
Source: Floor
16 November 1995
Floor
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 269. (consideration: CR H13099-13138)
Source: Floor
16 November 1995
Floor
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 2564 as unfinished business.
Source: Floor
16 November 1995
Passed
Mr. Canady asked unanimous consent that, during the consideration of the bill in the Committee of the Whole, the Chairman may postpone until a time during further consideration in the Committee of the Whole a request for a recorded vote on any amendment, and that the Chairman may reduce to not less than five minutes the time for voting on any postponed question that immediately follows another vote without intervening business, provided that the time for voting on the first in any series of questions be not less than 15 minutes; and further, that debate on each amendment to the bill and any amendments thereto be limited to 30 minutes, equally divided and controlled. Agreed to without objection.
Source: Floor
16 November 1995
Passed
Rule H. Res. 269 passed House.
Source: Floor
28 November 1995
Floor
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 2564 as unfinished business.
Source: Floor
28 November 1995
Passed
On motion that the committee rise Agreed to by voice vote.
Source: Floor
28 November 1995
Floor
Mr. Canady moved that the committee rise.
Source: Floor
28 November 1995
Floor
The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
Source: Floor
28 November 1995
Floor
Mr. Canady asked unanimous consent that in the further consideration of the bill in the Commmittee of the Whole, prior to the votes on the four amendments which were considered on November 16 upon which further proceedings were postponed, that Messrs. Fox, Clinger, English, and Weller each be recongized for 2 1/2 minutes in support of their amendments and that Mr. Canady be recognized for 2 1/2 minutes in opposition to each amendment.
Source: Floor
28 November 1995
Floor
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H13682-13690)
Source: Floor
29 November 1995
Floor
Laid on the table. See S. 1060 for further action.
Source: Floor
29 November 1995
Passed
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Source: Floor
29 November 1995
Vote
On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 421 - 0 (Roll no. 828).
Source: Floor
29 November 1995
Vote
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 421 - 0 (Roll no. 828).
Source: Floor
29 November 1995
Floor
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
Source: Floor
29 November 1995
Floor
The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 2564.
Source: Floor
29 November 1995
Floor
DEBATE - Pursuant to the unanimous consent agreement of November 16, 1995, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 30 minutes of debate on the Traficant amendment.
Source: Floor
29 November 1995
Floor
The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
Source: Floor
29 November 1995
Floor
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H13738-13745)
Source: Floor

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Reported in House · 14 November 1995 · Download file
Introduced in House · 31 October 1995 · Download file

Documents

5 official files

Reported in House (text)

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Reported in House (text)
Reported in House · EN · 14 November 1995
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Reported in House (PDF)
Reported in House · EN · 14 November 1995
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Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN · 31 October 1995
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Introduced in House (PDF)
Introduced in House · EN · 31 October 1995
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Introduced in House
summary · EN · 31 October 1995
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Related records

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/house-bill/2564
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/104/hr/2564
us · 104-hr-2564 · source updated 23 March 2026