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U.S. Code/Title 2/§ 1603

Title 2

2

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2 U.S.C. § 1603.Chapter 26

§ 1603

Registration of lobbyists

Title 2
5 min read

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((a)) ** Registration**

((1)) ** General rule** No later than 45 days after a lobbyist first makes a lobbying contact or is employed or retained to make a lobbying contact, whichever is earlier, or on the first business day after such 45th day if the 45th day is not a business day, such lobbyist (or, as provided under paragraph (2), the organization employing such lobbyist), shall register with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives.

((2)) ** Employer filing** Any organization that has 1 or more employees who are lobbyists shall file a single registration under this section on behalf of such employees for each client on whose behalf the employees act as lobbyists.

((3)) ** Exemption**

((A)) ** General rule** Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), a person or entity whose—

((i)) total income for matters related to lobbying activities on behalf of a particular client (in the case of a lobbying firm) does not exceed and is not expected to exceed $2,500; or

((ii)) total expenses in connection with lobbying activities (in the case of an organization whose employees engage in lobbying activities on its own behalf) do not exceed or are not expected to exceed $10,000,

((B)) ** Adjustment** The dollar amounts in subparagraph (A) shall be adjusted—

((i)) on , to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index (as determined by the Secretary of Labor) since ; and

((ii)) on January 1 of each fourth year occurring after , to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index (as determined by the Secretary of Labor) during the preceding 4-year period,

((b)) ** Contents of registration** Each registration under this section shall contain—

((1)) the name, address, business telephone number, and principal place of business of the registrant, and a general description of its business or activities;

((2)) the name, address, and principal place of business of the registrant’s client, and a general description of its business or activities (if different from paragraph (1));

((3)) the name, address, and principal place of business of any organization, other than the client, that—

((A)) contributes more than $5,000 to the registrant or the client in the quarterly period to fund the lobbying activities of the registrant; and

((B)) actively participates in the planning, supervision, or control of such lobbying activities;

((4)) the name, address, principal place of business, amount of any contribution of more than $5,000 to the lobbying activities of the registrant, and approximate percentage of equitable ownership in the client (if any) of any foreign entity that—

((A)) holds at least 20 percent equitable ownership in the client or any organization identified under paragraph (3);

((B)) directly or indirectly, in whole or in major part, plans, supervises, controls, directs, finances, or subsidizes the activities of the client or any organization identified under paragraph (3); or

((C)) is an affiliate of the client or any organization identified under paragraph (3) and has a direct interest in the outcome of the lobbying activity;

((5)) a statement of—

((A)) the general issue areas in which the registrant expects to engage in lobbying activities on behalf of the client; and

((B)) to the extent practicable, specific issues that have (as of the date of the registration) already been addressed or are likely to be addressed in lobbying activities;

((6)) the name of each employee of the registrant who has acted or whom the registrant expects to act as a lobbyist on behalf of the client and, if any such employee has served as a covered executive branch official or a covered legislative branch official in the 20 years before the date on which the employee first acted as a lobbyist on behalf of the client, the position in which such employee served; and

((7)) for any listed lobbyist who was convicted in a Federal or State court of an offense involving bribery, extortion, embezzlement, an illegal kickback, tax evasion, fraud, a conflict of interest, making a false statement, perjury, or money laundering, the date of the conviction and a description of the offense.

((c)) ** Guidelines for registration**

((1)) ** Multiple clients** In the case of a registrant making lobbying contacts on behalf of more than 1 client, a separate registration under this section shall be filed for each such client.

((2)) ** Multiple contacts** A registrant who makes more than 1 lobbying contact for the same client shall file a single registration covering all such lobbying contacts.

((d)) ** Termination of registration** A registrant who after registration—

((1)) is no longer employed or retained by a client to conduct lobbying activities, and

((2)) does not anticipate any additional lobbying activities for such client,

Related Legislation

(8 bills)

Bills that would modify or reference this section of law.

HR-4461

To amend section 2112 of title 44, United States Code, to appropriately limit donations to Presidential Libraries and Centers.

Jared Moskowitz

Florida representative

  1. house
  2. senate
  3. president
7/16/2025
HR-8831

Protecting Our Democracy Act

Jamie Ben Raskin

Maryland representative

  1. house
  2. senate
  3. president
5/14/2026
HR-9860

Pardon Transparency and Accountability Act of 2026

Dave Min

California representative

  1. house
  2. senate
  3. president
7/22/2026
S-2300

Amend section 2112 of title 44, United States Code, to appropriately limit donations to Presidential Libraries and Centers.

Elizabeth Warren

Massachusetts senator

  1. senate
  2. house
  3. president
7/16/2025
S-256

Pardon Transparency and Accountability Act of 2025

Richard Blumenthal

Connecticut senator

  1. senate
  2. house
  3. president
1/25/2025
S-3610

No Funding for Foreign Agents Act

James E. Banks

Indiana senator

  1. senate
  2. house
  3. president
1/8/2026
S-4378

Protecting American Taxpayers Act

Joni Ernst

Iowa senator

  1. senate
  2. house
  3. president
4/22/2026
S-4952

Protecting American Taxpayers Act

Joni Ernst

Iowa senator

  1. senate
  2. house
  3. president
7/13/2026
§ 1602

Release: pl-119-83 (2026-04-13)

§ 1604

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