Loophole lets foreign agents lobby in US without proper disclosure

A group of bipartisan lawmakers is trying to close a loophole in U.S. law that allows foreign agents to lobby inside the United States without disclosing who they really work for. The Paid Off Act would require foreign agents working for countries like China and Russia to disclose their lobbying efforts to the Justice Department.

“When foreign adversaries skirt loopholes to lobby Congress, they directly threaten our democracy,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, said in a statement. “This bipartisan amendment is long overdue and will help prevent unregistered foreign agents from putting a thumb on the scale of American policy.”

Under current law, foreign agents can avoid disclosing their lobbying efforts by taking advantage of exemptions for commercial activities or registering under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. So if an employee of the Chinese tech giant Huawei or RT wanted to lobby, they wouldn’t have to say what they’re doing is on behalf of, and being paid for by the Chinese or Russian governments. 

The bill names six countries of concern: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba and Syria. 

“I can point to examples of where foreign governments have hired lobbyists here in Washington D.C., without disclosing the fact that these lobbyists were in fact working for a foreign government against the interests of the United States. And we need to close that gap because it’s being exploited everyday,” Sen. John Cornyn told Straight Arrow News.  

“China, Russia, and our other adversaries are constantly attempting to undercut our national interests and skew U.S. policy in their favor. The PAID OFF Act will help prevent foreign adversaries from meddling in our legislative process, and it will stop individuals working for foreign powers from skirting the disclosure laws that identify them as such,” Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., said in a statement.

The bill has been introduced in both the House and Senate. The legislation’s sponsors hope it will pass soon.