Lobbying Disclosure Improvement Act

The Lobbying Disclosure Improvement Act would amend federal lobbying disclosure rules to require additional transparency regarding foreign influence. Specifically, the bill would require all registered lobbyists to indicate whether they are claiming an exemption under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). This disclosure would be added to the standard information that lobbyists must file when registering their lobbying activities.

Currently, many agents of foreign principals can register as lobbyists under the Lobbying Disclosure Act instead of registering separately as foreign agents under FARA. This bill would make that exemption status explicit by requiring registrants to state whether they are using the lobbying disclosure process to satisfy their foreign agent registration obligations. The purpose is to increase transparency about potential foreign influence in lobbying activities.

The bill passed the Senate in December 2025 and is now being considered by the House of Representatives. The measure is relatively narrow and focused, affecting only the disclosure requirements for registered lobbyists. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that compliance costs would be minimal and would not exceed the threshold for private-sector mandates. Failure to provide the required disclosure could result in civil fines, though such violations are expected to be rare.