Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Lobbyist Loophole Closure Act.
(1) Treatment of legislative, political, and strategic counseling services in support of lobbying contacts as lobbying activity
Section 3(7) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1602(7)) is amended—
(A) by striking efforts and inserting any efforts; and
(B) by striking research and other background work and inserting the following: counseling in support of such preparation and planning activities, research, and other background work.
(2) Treatment of lobbying contact made with support of counseling services as lobbying contact made by individual providing services
Section 3(8) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 1602(8)) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
(C) Treatment of providers of counseling services
Any individual, with authority to director or substantially influence any lobbying contact made by another individual, and for financial or other compensation provides counseling services in support of preparation and planning activities which are treated as lobbying activities under paragraph (7) for that other individual’s lobbying contact and who has knowledge that the specific lobbying contact was made, shall be considered to have made the same lobbying contact at the same time in the same manner to the covered executive branch official or covered legislative branch official involved.
(b) Reduction of percentage exemption for determination of threshold of lobbying contacts required for individuals To register as lobbyists
Section 3(10) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 1602(10)) is amended by striking less than 20 percent and inserting less than 10 percent.
(c) Effective date
The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to lobbying contacts made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.