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Adds a transparency requirement to federal lobbying disclosures by asking lobbyists and other LDA registrants to state whether they are exempt under the Foreign Agents Registration Act’s section 3(h). The change makes small edits to two existing LDA paragraphs and requires registrants to indicate on their filings if they claim the FARA exemption, increasing public and agency visibility into claimed foreign‑agent status without changing FARA’s substantive rules.
Amend Section 4(b) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1603(b)) by modifying paragraph (6) — in paragraph (6), strike and insert a semicolon.
Amend Section 4(b) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1603(b)) by modifying paragraph (7) — in paragraph (7), strike the period at the end and insert "; and".
Amend Section 4(b) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1603(b)) by adding a new paragraph (8) that requires a statement as to whether the registrant is exempt under section 3(h) of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended (22 U.S.C. 613(h)).
Who is affected and how:
Lobbying registrants (lobbyists, law firms, public affairs/PR firms, consultants and organizations that file under the LDA) are directly affected; they must include an affirmative statement on whether they claim the FARA section 3(h) exemption when they file LDA registrations or reports. This is a procedural change that likely means adding a checkbox or short statement on existing forms.
Entities and individuals who rely on the FARA section 3(h) exemption will have that claim documented in LDA filings. That increases transparency for the public, Congress, and enforcement agencies (for example, the Department of Justice, which administers FARA), who can more easily see when a registrant asserts an exemption.
Administrative bodies that process LDA filings (Congressional offices, the Secretary of the Senate/Clerk of the House, and any agencies that track lobbying disclosures) may need to update forms, guidance, and data fields to capture and publish the new disclosure.
The change does not alter the substantive law governing FARA exemptions, so it should not itself change who is legally obligated to register under FARA. It may, however, produce more information that could inform enforcement or oversight decisions over time.
Overall effect:
Expand sections to see detailed analysis
Received in the House.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Introduced March 5, 2025 by Gary C. Peters · Last progress December 17, 2025
Held at the desk.
Received in the House.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8794; text: CR S8794)