On April 30, Federal Election Commission (FEC) Commissioner Allen J. Dickerson announced his departure from the Commission. Dickerson, confirmed by the U.S. Senate to a term ending April 30, 2025, chose to depart on April 30 rather than wait for another commissioner to be appointed.

The FEC now only has three commissioners, Republican Vice-Chairman James E. “Trey” Trainor, and Commissioners Shana M. Broussard and Dara Lindenbaum, both members of the Democratic Party.

The FEC requires at least four commissioners to agree on any official action. No more than three commissioners can be from the same party. As it stands, because all decisions must have four commissioners’ vote, no official action can be made by the FEC until the president nominates and the Senate confirms another commissioner.

Additionally, the Commission elected Commissioner Shana M. Broussard to serve as Chair of the Commission for the remainder of 2025, effective July 1. Commissioner James E. “Trey” Trainor, III will continue to serve as Vice-Chairman.

On April 10, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, aimed to ensure individuals provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.

The bill prohibits states from accepting and processing an application to register to vote in a federal election unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The bill also requires states to establish an alternative process under which an applicant may submit other evidence to demonstrate U.S. citizenship.

Additionally, the legislation allows for a private right of action against an election official who registers an applicant who fails to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The SAVE Act, which specifies the documents deemed as acceptable proof, will now be considered by the Senate.

A new bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would prohibit former members and elected officers of the U.S. Congress from lobbying Congress at any time after leaving office.

The legislation,  the Halt Unchecked Member Benefits with Lobbying Elimination (HUMBLE) Act, would also ban members of Congress from owning or trading individual stocks; prevent members from serving on corporate boards while they are serving in Congress; eliminate access to members-only perks for former members; and eliminate automatic pay raises for members.

Additionally, the HUMBLE ACT, introduced in the House on April 3 by Rep. Angie Craig,  prohibits the use of taxpayer funds for first-class airline tickets, including for legislative branch employees, and only permits coach-class accommodations.

On April 1, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released its audit of federal lobbying compliance for 2024.

For the audit, the GAO reviewed a stratified sample of 100 quarterly disclosure reports filed for the third and fourth quarters of calendar year 2023 and the first and second quarters of calendar year 2024. They also reviewed random samples of 160 LD-203 reports for the year-end 2023 and midyear 2024 reports.

Among its findings, the GAO concluded 93% of filers of lobbying disclosure reports were able to provide documentation to support reported income and expenses, 5% of LD-203 reports were missing reportable contributions, and 97% of lobbyists who filed new registrations also filed LD-2 reports as required for the quarter in which they first registered. The audit estimates at least 21% of all lobbying disclosure reports did not properly disclose formerly held covered positions.

The 54-page report is titled “2024 Lobbying Disclosure: Observations on Compliance with Requirements.”

In an Executive Order recently issued by President Donald J. Trump relating to voting in federal elections, the president also directed the U.S. Attorney General to prioritize the enforcement of existing laws both preventing foreign nationals from making political contributions in U.S. elections and prohibiting lobbying by organizations or entities that have received any federal funds.

The majority of the order, entitled Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections, concerns various aspects of voter registration, verification of citizenship of voters, illegal voting, and substantiation of state compliance with federal voting laws.

The order, issued on March 25, directs the U.S. Attorney General to act in consultation with the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.

Beginning March 8, subaward reporting for U.S. Federal contracts will be enabled through SAM.gov instead of FSRS.gov.

On March 6, 2025, the federal government decommissioned The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) Sub-award Reporting System (FSRS) through its FSRS.gov website. Data was able to be entered into the FSRS.gov system until the close of business on March 6. Visitors to FSRS.gov are redirected to SAM.gov/FSRS beginning March 7.

Federal Acquisition Regulation §52.204-10 requires prime contractors awarded a federal contract or order to file a FFATA sub-award report by the end of the month following the month in which the prime contractor awards any sub-contract greater than $30,000.

The federal lobbying registration threshold for organizations employing in-house lobbyists has been increased. Now, an organization employing in-house lobbyists whose total expenses in connection with lobbying activities do not exceed and are not expected to exceed $16,000 in the quarterly period is not required to be registered. The previous level was $14,000.

This threshold amount is adjusted every four years based on the Consumer Price Index.

A lobbying firm or individual lobbyist whose total income for matters relating to lobbying activities on behalf of a particular client does not exceed or is not expected to exceed $3,500 in the quarterly period is exempt from registration with respect to such client. The previous level was $3,000.

Other determinations for registration include whether a lobbyist is an individual who, with respect to a particular client, makes more than one lobbying contact and whose lobbying activities constitute at least 20% of the individual’s time in services for that client over any three-month period.

On February 10, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order pausing enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).

The FCPA is a federal law aimed at preventing the bribery of governmental officials of foreign nations by individuals and entities under the jurisdiction of the United States. The act is unique because its goal is not to curtail unethical and illegal behavior of U.S. governmental officials, but to govern the ethical and legal behavior of corporations and individuals doing business overseas.

In his Executive Order, President Trump states the reason for the pause is “FCPA enforcement impedes the United States’ foreign policy objectives and therefore implicates the President’s Article II authority over foreign affairs.” The order states there is “overexpansive and unpredictable” enforcement “for routine business practices in other nations.”

The order requires the U.S. Attorney General to cease initiating new investigations unless they are determined necessary. It also calls for a review by the Attorney General of current FCPA guidelines and policies within the next 180 days, with new guidelines and policies issued if the Attorney General sees fit.

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) published the 2025-2026 election cycle contribution limits, which have been indexed for inflation. As required by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, the FEC must adjust certain contribution limits every two years.

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) published the 2025-2026 election cycle contribution limits, which have been indexed for inflation. As required by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, the FEC must adjust certain contribution limits every two years.

The individual and nonmulticandidate PAC contribution limit to federal candidates has increased from $3,300 to $3,500 for both primary and general elections, allowing for a total of $7,000 for a federal candidate.

The limits on contributions by individuals to national party committees have increased from $41,300 to $44,300 per calendar year.

Individuals may now contribute $132,900 per calendar year to committees of a national political party for presidential nominating conventions, to committees of a national political party for preparation for and the conduct of election recounts and contests and other legal proceedings, and to committees of a national political party for the construction, purchase, renovation, operation, and furnishing of one or more buildings for party headquarters.

Individuals may now contribute $132,900 per calendar year to committees of a national political party for presidential nominating conventions, to committees of a national political party for preparation for and the conduct of election recounts and contests and other legal proceedings, and to committees of a national political party for the construction, purchase, renovation, operation, and furnishing of one or more buildings for party headquarters.

On January 17, a final rule amending the U.S. Federal Acquisition Regulations, aimed at improving consistency between the procurement and non-procurement procedures concerning suspension and debarment, will take effect.

Changes include providing clarification regarding which mitigating and aggravating factors may apply to individuals for suspensions and debarments, clarifying that if the suspending and debarring official (SDO) extends the opportunity for the contractor to submit material in opposition, then the SDO should also give a deadline for submission of materials, and the allowance of the notice of proposed debarment, or the notice of suspension, to be sent by U.S. mail or private delivery service to the last known street address of the person or entity with delivery notification service.

Additional changes allow for the notice of proposed debarment, or the notice of suspension, to be sent by email to the point of contact email address in the contractor’s registration in the System for Award Management, if any, or to the last known email address as confirmed by the agency. The rule changes also clarify that the official record closes upon the expiration of the contractor’s time to submit information and argument in opposition, including any extensions.

The Lifetime Lobbying Ban Act was in introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The short three-page bill, which would repeal the current one- or two-year waiting period for former members of Congress to work as a federal lobbyist and replace it with a permanent ban, was introduced on April 30.

On the same day U.S. Rep. Jared F. Golden introduced the legislation along with five other bills addressing governmental ethics.

These include, as described in his press release:

• The Congressional and Executive Foreign Lobbying Ban, which would ban retired members of Congress, senior executive branch officials, and high-ranking military officials from lobbying on behalf of foreign interests;
• The Stop Foreign Payoffs Act, which would ban members of Congress, presidents, vice presidents, and Cabinet secretaries, as well as their close family members, from earning a salary or holding investments in foreign businesses for as long as the official is in office;
• The Crack Down on Dark Money Act, which would end the ability of mega-donors to launder secret political activity through 501(c)(4) nonprofits by reducing the cap on political activity by those nonprofits from 50 percent of all spending to 10 percent and requiring them to disclose all donors of $5,000 or more if there are political expenditures;
• The Consistent Labeling for Political Ads Act, which would increase transparency in online political advertising by requiring social media platforms to make ad labels “sticky,” meaning they would appear on paid political content regardless of how it is shared or where it appears; and
• The Fighting Foreign Influence Act, which would require tax-exempt organizations, including think tanks, to disclose high-dollar gifts from foreign governments or political parties, impose a lifetime ban on foreign lobbying by former presidents, vice presidents, senior military officials and require political campaigns to verify online donors have a valid US address.

According to Golden’s press release, this raft of bills is part of the Government Integrity & Anti-Corruption Plan, which has the stated goal of strengthening government integrity and fighting corruption.

For 2024, the minimum wage required to be paid by US Federal Contractors under Executive Order 14026 increases to $17.20 an hour.

Starting on January 30, 2022, all federal agencies were required to incorporate a $15 minimum wage in new contract solicitations pursuant to an executive order signed by President Joseph R. Biden on April 27, 2021.

The order requires federal contractors to pay a minimum wage for employees working on or in connection with a federal government contract.

Beginning January 1, 2024, and for each subsequent year, tipped workers must now receive 100% of the wage received by non-tipped workers, currently $17.20 an hour, eliminating the difference between the type of workers.

This applies to tipped employees performing work on or in connection with contracts covered by Executive Order 14026.

Contractors and subcontractors must certify they meet this condition requiring the minimum wage.

This certification is a condition of payment to the contractors from the government.

The order does not apply to grants; contracts, contract-like instruments, or certain specific type of agreements with Indian Tribes.

If a state or municipality has a higher minimum wage, the Executive Order does not excuse noncompliance with the laws requiring the higher wage.

On December 1, over two-thirds of the United States House of Representatives voted to expel Rep. George Santos.

The resolution to expel him from Congress passed 311 to 114, with 105 Republicans and all but two Democrats voting to remove him.

On November 16, the Investigative Subcommittee of the House Committee on Ethics completed its investigation and unanimously concluded that there was substantial evidence that Santos:

• Knowingly caused his campaign committee to file false or incomplete reports with the Federal Election Commission;
• Used campaign funds for personal purposes;
• Engaged in fraudulent conduct in connection with RedStone Strategies LLC; and
• Engaged in knowing and willful violations of the Ethics in Government Act as it relates to his Financial Disclosure Statements filed with the House.

The committee then immediately referred these allegations to the Department of Justice, according to the Committee’s press release.

Santos is only the sixth member of the House to be removed by this type of vote in its history.

The last member removed was Rep. James A. Traficant in 2002.

A special election to fill the now-vacant seat is expected to be announced by New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom of the Southern District of Florida permanently halted a portion of the lobbying ban approved by voters in 2018.

The restriction barred public officials from lobbying, on issues of policy, appropriations, or procurement before governmental bodies or entities while in office.

Bloom determined the amendment language to be too broad and poorly defined, agreeing with the Plaintiffs in the case.

The six-year ban on lobbying pertaining to former state and local officers after leaving office was not blocked by Bloom and will continue to be in effect.