Foreign Agents Transparency Act

This bill is called the Foreign Agents Transparency Act. It says that if someone acted in the past as an agent for a foreign principal, they still have to register for that past work under the foreign agent registration law, even if they already stopped doing it. It makes clear that this duty to register continues for earlier activities, not just current ones.

Courts can also order someone to follow the registration rules even after the person has ended their foreign-agent activities. In addition, the Attorney General must send Congress a yearly report listing each enforcement action, including the person’s name, the reason for the action, and its status.

• Who is affected: People who served as an agent of a foreign principal during the 5 years before the law takes effect, on the date it takes effect, or any time after that.
• What changes: The duty to register clearly continues for past activities; courts can require compliance even after the work has ended; and the Justice Department must provide annual reports to Congress with names, reasons, and status of each action .
• When: The rules apply starting on enactment and cover the prior 5 years as noted above.