Warren, Rick Scott Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Ban Former Members of Congress from Lobbying
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Senator Elizabeth Warren's BlueSky (This link opens in new window or tab.) Senator Elizabeth Warren's Twitter (This link opens in new window or tab.) Senator Elizabeth Warren's Youtube (This link opens in new window or tab.) Senator Elizabeth Warren's Instagram (This link opens in new window or tab.) Home Newsroom Press Releases May 14, 2026 Warren, Rick Scott Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Ban Former Members of Congress from Lobbying Bill would impose lifetime prohibition on lobbying by former Members of Congress and elected officers of the House and Senate Text of Bill (PDF) Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) introduced the Banning Lobbying And Safeguarding Trust (BLAST) Act , a bipartisan bill to impose a lifetime ban on lobbying by former members of Congress. Under current law, former members of Congress are allowed to lobby their former colleagues in Congress after a “cooling off” period — one year for former members of the House of Representatives and two years for former senators. The BLAST Act would replace “cooling off” periods with a permanent ban and fully prohibit former members from making lobbying contacts, closing a loophole often used to lobby while avoiding registration requirements. “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,” said Senator Warren . “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 an important push to get that done.” “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,” said Senator Rick Scott . “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.” The bill prohibits two categories of activity: Registration: This provision bars former members and elected officers from working as registered lobbyists or engaging in any activity that would require them to register under the Lobbying Disclosure Act . The ban applies to lobbying of Congress and the Executive branch. Conduct: This provision prohibits former members from making lobbying contacts, regardless of their registration status. 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. Under the BLAST Act , the Department of Justice could pursue both criminal and civil penalt
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