The BLAST Act (Banning Lobbying And Safeguarding Trust Act) would permanently ban former members of Congress and elected congressional officers from lobbying Congress after they leave office. Currently, federal law imposes a cooling-off period that prevents former members from lobbying Congress for a limited time, but this bill would eliminate that time limit entirely, making the restriction permanent. The bill also expands the definition of "lobbyist" to include former members who are hired to perform any lobbying-related work, not just those who directly communicate with members of Congress. The prohibition would apply to anyone who registers as a lobbyist or intentionally communicates with Congress on behalf of another party to influence official action. The law would take effect for individuals leaving office on or after the date of enactment, with violations punishable under existing criminal penalties for lobbying violations.
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