May 30, 2017 •
“Close the Revolving Door Act of 2017” Would Enact Lifetime Lobbyist Ban on Members of Congress
Members of Congress could be banned from being lobbyists for life if legislation introduced this month becomes law.
Senate Bill 1189, Close the Revolving Door Act of 2017, places a lifetime ban on current members of Congress from becoming lobbyists. Senators Michael Bennet, Cory Gardner, and Al Franken introduced the legislation, which also increases the statutory staff restrictions on lobbying from one year to six years.
Additionally, the bill bans lobbyists from joining Congressional staffs or committee staffs they lobbied for six years and increases the maximum penalty for violating the Lobbying Disclosure Act.
“Our legislation would put in place much-needed reforms-by not only banning members of Congress from becoming lobbyists, but also by making the industry become more accountable and transparent,” Franken said in a press release.
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