Peters Bipartisan Legislation to Help Prevent Foreign Influence in U.S. Policy Heads to Senate Floor

WASHINGTON, DC – Bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, to improve our nation’s ability to prevent foreign governments, including adversaries like the Chinese and Russian governments, from attempting to influence U.S. policy without making appropriate disclosures has advanced in the Senate.  The legislation would help prevent lobbyists working on behalf of foreign governments and political parties from exploiting an existing Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) provision that exempts Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) registrants who are agents of foreign persons or organizations from registering under FARA. The bill was advanced by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee where Peters serves as Chair, and now moves to the full Senate for consideration.

“This bipartisan legislation will increase transparency around foreign lobbying and ensure our government is acting in the best interests of the American people – not foreign adversaries,” said Senator Peters. “Now that it has advanced in the Senate, I urge my colleagues to pass this bill as soon as possible so we can address the serious threat of foreign influence in our nation’s political process.” 

The Lobbying Disclosure Improvement Act would require LDA registrants to indicate, as part of their registration, whether they are taking advantage of the FARA exemption. This would help the Department of Justice narrow the pool of LDA registrants they are examining for potential violations, while not imposing any meaningful additional burden on registrants.

In his role on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Peters has worked to ensure that the federal government’s is working in the best interest of the nation. The Senate has passed Peters’ bipartisan legislation to help identify and mitigate potential conflicts of interest between taxpayer-funded projects and government contractors. Peters has also introduced a bipartisan bill to require federal agencies to identify and address potential foreign conflicts of interest involving government contractors, including by disqualifying firms from being awarded contracts where necessary to protect national security and foreign policy interests. 

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