HB9130, the “Banning Lobbying And Safeguarding Trust Act” or “BLAST Act,” would prohibit former Senators, Members of the House, and elected officers of either chamber from lobbying Congress after leaving office. The bill amends federal ethics and lobbying law so that a former covered official could not register as a lobbyist under the Lobbying Disclosure Act, and also could not make lobbying communications or appearances before Members, officers, or employees of Congress on behalf of another person in connection with matters seeking congressional action.
The bill also revises the Lobbying Disclosure Act’s definition of “lobbyist” to expressly include former Members of Congress who are paid to perform lobbying-related services, even if those services do not involve direct lobbying contacts. Technical and conforming changes are made to 18 U.S.C. § 207, and the prohibition would apply only to individuals who leave office on or after the date of enactment.
If enacted, HB9130 would significantly expand post-employment restrictions for former federal legislators and certain congressional officers by creating a lifetime ban on lobbying Congress. It would amend Title 18 of the U.S. Code and the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, affecting former Members, elected officers, lobbying firms, clients who hire former lawmakers, and congressional ethics/compliance practices. The bill would not apply retroactively to those who left office before enactment.
The available context shows the bill was introduced and referred to the House Judiciary Committee, with no recorded votes or committee transcript debate provided. Based on the bill’s purpose and sponsorship, the measure appears to be framed as an ethics and anti-corruption reform intended to strengthen public trust by reducing the revolving door between Congress and lobbying. No formal opposition or support is documented in the supplied materials, but the proposal is inherently likely to draw interest from ethics reform advocates and resistance from lobbying interests and former members who work in government relations.
The main point of contention is the scope of the ban: the bill would impose a permanent prohibition on former Members and elected officers lobbying Congress, which is broader than existing cooling-off restrictions. Supporters are likely to argue that former lawmakers should not be able to leverage insider access for private clients, while critics may contend that the measure is overly restrictive, could limit post-service employment opportunities, and may be difficult to distinguish from permissible advocacy or advisory work. Another likely issue is the bill’s expansion of the lobbyist definition to capture compensated lobbying-related services even without direct contacts.