Lobbying/Gift Ban bill

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Lobbying Disclosure

Title II: Congressional Gift Rules

Title I: Lobbying Disclosure - Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 - Requires registration with the Office of Lobbying Registration and Public Disclosure (Office) established by this Act by any individual lobbyist (or the individual's employer, if it employs one or more lobbyists) within 30 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. Defines a lobbyist as any individual employed or retained by a client for financial or other compensation for services that include one or more lobbying contacts (but not an individual whose lobbying activities constitute less than ten percent of the time engaged in the services provided to that client). 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.

(Sec. 104) Specifies the contents of such registration and reports.

(Sec. 105) Requires registrants to file semiannual lobbying activity reports with the Office. Provides for: (1) exemptions from such registration and reporting requirements in cases involving lobbying income of $2,500 or less (for a particular client) or total expenses of $5,000 or less (for all lobbying activities) (adjusted periodically for inflation) for the semiannual period.

(Sec. 106) Provides for special rules generally prohibiting registrants under this Act and the Foreign Agents Registration Act from providing gifts (including meals, lodging, transportation, entertainment, reimbursements, loans, or forbearance) to any covered legislative branch official, or to the spouse, dependent, friend, or relative of such an official if it is given with the knowledge and acquiescence of such official and is given because of his or her position. Permits certain such items under prescribed circumstances, such as lawful political contributions and informational materials sent to the official's office, and gifts given for a nonbusiness purpose and motivated by family relationship or close personal friendship.

(Sec. 107) Establishes the Office as an executive agency, and specifies its duties, including making public the semiannual lobbyist activity reports.

(Sec. 108) Establishes procedures for: (1) determining and resolving alleged violations of this Act; and (2) judicial review of Office decisions.

(Sec. 113) Amends the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 to: (1) eliminate references to political propaganda and, in certain cases, replace them with references to informational materials; and (2) modify registration exemption provisions.

(Sec. 114) Revises (Byrd Amendment) requirements for a declaration by persons requesting or receiving a Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement with respect to any payments made in connection with it which would be prohibited if made with appropriated funds. Requires, in lieu of information currently required, the: (1) name of any registrant under this Act who has made lobbying contacts on behalf of the person with respect to that Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement; and (2) certification that the declarant has not made, and will not make, any prohibited payment.

(Sec. 115) Repeals: (1) the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act; and (2) provisions on lobbyist activities of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act and the Housing Act of 1949.

(Sec. 118) Authorizes appropriations.

(Sec. 119) 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. 121) 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 criteria for exemption from the reporting requirements of this Act. Permits trade or business entities that may take income tax deductions for certain lobbying expenses to make good faith estimates of any non-deductible lobbying expenses in order to meet criteria for exemption from the reporting requirements of this Act.

Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to the Congress on differences in meaning between this Act and the Internal Revenue Code of "lobbying activities," "lobbying expenditures," "influencing legislation," and related terms.

(Sec. 122) Requires the President to appoint an interim Director of the Office within 30 days after enactment of this Act.

Title II: Congressional Gift Rules - Makes conforming amendments to the Standing Rules of the Senate and the Rules of the House of Representatives, as well as the Ethics in Government Act and the Ethics Reform Act of 1989, with regard to the restrictions of this Act on gifts by lobbyists and foreign agents to covered subjects.