H.R. 9130

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9130 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9130

To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit former Members and 
elected officers of Congress from lobbying Congress at any time after 
leaving office.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 3, 2026

Mr. Moore of Alabama (for himself, Mr. Vindman, Ms. Perez, and Mr. 
Crane) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit former Members and 
elected officers of Congress from lobbying Congress at any time after 
leaving office.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Banning Lobbying And Safeguarding 
Trust Act'' or the ``BLAST Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITING FORMER MEMBERS AND OFFICERS OF CONGRESS FROM 
LOBBYING CONGRESS.

(a) Prohibition.--Section 207(e) of title 18, United States Code, 
is amended by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
``(1) Members and elected officers of congress.--Any person 
who is a Senator, a Member of the House of Representatives, or 
an elected officer of the Senate or the House of 
Representatives and who, after that person leaves office--
``(A) registers as a lobbyist under section 4 of 
the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1603), or
``(B) knowingly makes, with the intent to 
influence, any communication to or appearance before 
any Member, officer, or employee of either House of 
Congress or any employee of any other legislative 
office of Congress, on behalf of any other person 
(except the United States) in connection with any 
matter on which the former Senator, Member, or elected 
official seeks action by a Member, officer, or employee 
of either House of Congress, in his or her official 
capacity,
shall be punished as provided in section 216.''.
(b) Lobbyist Definition.--Section 3(10) of the Lobbying Disclosure 
Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1602(10)) is amended--
(1) by striking ```lobbyist' means any'' and inserting 
```lobbyist'--
``(A) means any'';
(2) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; 
and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) includes any former Member of Congress who is 
employed or retained by a client for financial or other 
compensation--
``(i) for services that include making 1 or 
more lobbying contacts; or
``(ii) to engage in lobbying activities 
that do not include making lobbying 
contacts.''.
(c) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--Section 207(e)(2) of 
title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in the heading, by striking ``Officers and staff'' and 
inserting ``Staff'';
(2) by striking ``an elected officer of the Senate, or'';
(3) by striking ``office or''; and
(4) by striking ``former elected officer or''.
(d) Applicability.--The amendments made by this section shall apply 
with respect to an individual who leaves office on or after the date of 
the enactment of this Act.
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