Last week, Senators Rick Scott and Elizabeth Warren introduced the Banning Lobbying and Safeguarding Trust (BLAST) Act, to permanently ban former members of the House of Representatives and Senate from lobbying Congress after leaving office.
Senator Rick Scott said, “When politicians use their time in public office to cash in after they leave government, the American people lose. Trust in our institutions is at an all-time low, and the revolving door between Capitol Hill and K Street is a big part of that. We need to restore the American people’s trust in their government, and that’s why I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to put government clearly back on the side of the people. Our founders never intended public service to become a training ground for a lifetime of lobbying. Senator Warren and I are working to end this practice once and for all.”
Senator Elizabeth Warren said, “It’s simple: Members of Congress should spend their time in Washington serving the American people, not preparing to cash in big time with a cushy lobbying career after they leave office. It’s long past time to close the revolving door that’s corrupted our government and destroyed public trust in elected officials. This bipartisan bill is a no-brainer that Congress should pass now.”
The BLAST Act prohibits two types of activity — lobbyist registration and conduct.
- First, it bars former Members and elected officers from working as registered lobbyists, as defined by the Lobbying Disclosure Act.
- Second, it prohibits them from making lobbying contacts, regardless of their registration status.
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- This includes making communications or appearances before Members of Congress, congressional staff, or legislative offices with the intent to influence official action on behalf of private parties.
- Finally, the bill would also address “shadow lobbying” by expanding existing lobbying restrictions to cover former lawmakers who are compensated for lobbying activities, even if they do not formally register as lobbyists or make direct lobbying contacts themselves.
Violation of this law could result in up to five years in prison as well as civil penalties up to $50,000 per violation.
This legislation is part of Senator Rick Scott’s longstanding fight to make Washington work for American families, which has also included ending taxpayer-funded Congressional Pensions, imposing term limits on Congress, and No Budget, No Pay legislation to ensure that politicians do not receive government paychecks during government shutdowns.
To read the full bill text, click here.
