Shortly before adjourning for 2025, the Senate passed two bills to broaden disclosure and registration requirements related to the regulation of foreign agents under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”) and the Lobbying Disclosure Act (“LDA”): the Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act (S. 856 / H.R. 1883)
Continue Reading Senate Advances Bills To Broaden Foreign Agent Disclosures in Lobbying Reports
DOJ Posts (then Takes Down) Seventeen New Advisory Opinions Regarding the Foreign Agents Registration Act
Following an announcement last month that the White House intends to deploy the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”) to investigate persons with foreign ties that “foment political violence,” the FARA Unit of the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) quietly (and maybe inadvertently) published and then unpublished 17 new advisory opinions regarding
Continue Reading DOJ Posts (then Takes Down) Seventeen New Advisory Opinions Regarding the Foreign Agents Registration ActCongress Weighs Foreign Agent Disclosure and Registration Bills
Congress is considering several bills to broaden disclosure and registration requirements related to the regulation of foreign agents under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”) and the Lobbying Disclosure Act (“LDA”): the Foreign Registration Obligations for Nonprofit Transparency (“FRONT”) Act (S. 2305), Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act (S. 856 / H.R. 1883) and the Lobbying Disclosure Improvement Act (S. 865 / H.R. 1887). Additionally, multiple proposed amendments to the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would increase certain disclosure obligations. Together, these legislative proposals indicate continued lawmaker interest in regulating foreign influence in the United States.Continue Reading Congress Weighs Foreign Agent Disclosure and Registration Bills
Texas, Louisiana, and Nebraska Enact “Baby” FARA Laws
Over the last several weeks, Texas, Louisiana, and Nebraska have enacted so called “baby” Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”) laws aimed at regulating foreign-influenced political activity in the states. There has been a trend in state legislatures over the last year to propose laws that apply to foreign-influenced political activity
Continue Reading Texas, Louisiana, and Nebraska Enact “Baby” FARA LawsDepartment of Justice Proposes Major Changes to FARA Regulations, Including Sweeping Changes Affecting Multinational Companies
On January 2, 2025, the Department of Justice published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
(“NPRM”) soliciting public comments on potential amendments to the Department’s regulations
regarding the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”). The regulatory amendments proposed
by the Department are significant, and they would take the statute in a substantially
A Primer for Navigating the Presidential Appointee Vetting and Confirmation Process
Following the decisive election on November 5, the process of selecting and vetting individuals to fill the second Trump administration’s key appointed positions is quickly shifting into high gear. For those tapped for consideration, the decision to enter the process may be one of the most significant decisions of their
Continue Reading A Primer for Navigating the Presidential Appointee Vetting and Confirmation ProcessStates Introduce More “Baby” FARA Bills
POSTED IN FOREIGN AGENTS REGISTRATION ACT, STATE LAW
Over the past several weeks, legislatures in Arizona, California, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Tennessee have introduced bills that mirror the federal Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”). There has been a trend in the states to enact so-called “baby
Continue Reading States Introduce More “Baby” FARA BillsCongress Removes Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”)-Related Provisions from Final NDAA
Today, Congress announced the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act (“NDAA”) for Fiscal Year 2024. The NDAA is an annual bill that contains important provisions related to the Department of Defense and international security, among other things. An earlier version of the bill contained two key provisions related
Continue Reading Congress Removes Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”)-Related Provisions from Final NDAACongress Introduces Retroactive Foreign Agents Registration Act in Response to Wynn Decision
Last week, a bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators introduced the Retroactive Foreign Agents Registration Act (“RFARA”) in the U.S. Congress. Led by Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) of the U.S. House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, the bill would amend the Foreign Agents
Continue Reading Congress Introduces Retroactive Foreign Agents Registration Act in Response to Wynn DecisionSenate Passes Two FARA-Related Bills
On Thursday, the Senate passed two bills — The Lobbying Disclosure Improvement Act (S. 264) and Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act (S. 289) — that attempt to increase disclosure of Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”) activity through amendments to the Lobbying Disclosure Act (“LDA”). The
Continue Reading Senate Passes Two FARA-Related Bills