March 2, 2018 •
Foreign Agents Registration Amendments Act Introduced in US Senate
On March 1, a bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate to amend the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
Included in the bipartisan bill, the Foreign Agents Registration Amendments Act, are the creation of an enforcement unit in the National Security Division and updates to civil and criminal enforcement procedures. The legislation also creates a definition for the term ‘‘operative of a foreign government.”
Additionally, the bill would call for self-identification of registered individuals when meeting with members of congress or their staff.
Specifically, the bill states, “It shall be unlawful for any agent of a foreign principal registered under [FARA] to fail to disclose before or during any meeting with a member of Congress or staff of a member of Congress that the agent has registered under [FARA].’’
The bill was introduced by Republican Senators Todd Young and John Cornyn and Democratic Senators Dianne Feinstein and Jeanne Shaheen.
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