H.R. 1530House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

Lobbyist Loophole Closure Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 7, 2026 at 11:39 PM UTC

The Lobbyist Loophole Closure Act amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to broaden who must report lobbying activities. It treats any legislative, political, or strategic counseling services provided for compensation as lobbying activity, and counts the provider as having made the lobbying contact whenever their work supports another individual's lobbying contact. The changes apply to lobbying contacts made after the law’s enactment and affect individuals and firms that give such counseling services.

Key Provisions

Expands the definition of lobbying activity to include “any efforts” and adds “legislative, political, and strategic counseling services” to the activities that trigger reporting.
Requires that anyone who provides those counseling services for compensation is considered to have made the same lobbying contact as the person who actually contacts a covered official.
Makes the amendments effective for lobbying contacts occurring on or after the law’s enactment.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee

May 18, 2021

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

March 2, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

March 2, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee

May 18, 2021

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode

Raw Text PDF XML

Introduced in HouseIssued March 2, 2021

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1530

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 2, 2021

Ms. Wild (for herself and Mr. Sarbanes) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to expand the scope of individuals and activities which are subject to the requirements of such Act.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Lobbyist Loophole Closure Act.

Expanding scope of individuals and activities subject to requirements of Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995

(a)

Coverage of individuals providing legislative, political, and strategic counseling services

(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: legislative, political, and strategic counseling services, research, and other background work.

(2)

Treatment of lobbying contact made with support of legislative, political, and strategic 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 legislative, political, and strategic counseling services

Any individual who for financial or other compensation provides legislative, political, and strategic counseling services which are treated as lobbying activity under paragraph (7), and which are used in support of a lobbying contact under this paragraph which is made by another individual, shall be considered to have made the same lobbying contact at the same time and in the same manner to the covered executive branch official or covered legislative branch official involved.

(b)

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.