Permanently ban lobbying by former members of Congress.
Permanently ban former members of Congress from lobbying.
Occurrences
Evidence
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
Civil Beat’s candidate questionnaire for Brian Schatz said his plan included: “Permanently ban lobbying by former members of Congress.”
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
The Congressional Record listed S. 6 introduced by Udall and others, including “Mr. SCHATZ,” as “A bill to reform our government, reduce the grip of special interest...”
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
Congress.gov summarized S. 6 as amending federal criminal law “to prohibit former Members of Congress from ever lobbying a current Member.” Its latest action was referral to the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, and its status was “Introduced.”
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
A printed summary of S. 6 said: “Enact a permanent ban on lobbying by former Members of Congress,” and explained it would permanently ban House and Senate members from lobbying either house after retirement.
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
Current 18 U.S.C. § 207(e) bars a former Senator from covered lobbying contacts “within 2 years” after leaving office; former House members are covered by a shorter temporary period, not a lifetime ban.
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
Congress.gov summarized S. 2561 as imposing “a lifetime ban” on former members lobbying Congress, but the latest action was referral to committee and the bill status was “Introduced.”
Assessments
The promised permanent federal lobbying ban for former members of Congress has not been enacted. Current federal law still uses temporary post-employment restrictions rather than a lifetime ban, and later bills proposing such a ban remained unenacted. Schatz did support a concrete legislative vehicle, S. 6 in 2016, that would have created the permanent ban, but it was only introduced and referred to committee. That counts as a serious attempt, not fulfillment.