Warren, Rick Scott Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Ban Former Members of Congress from Lobbying

Warren, Rick Scott Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Ban Former Members of Congress from Lobbying

Bill would impose lifetime prohibition on lobbying by former Members of Congress and elected officers of the House and Senate

Text of Bill (PDF) | Bill One-Pager (PDF)

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) introduced the Banning Lobbying And Safeguarding Trust (BLAST) Act, a bipartisan bill to impose a lifetime ban on lobbying by former members of Congress.

Under current law, former members of Congress are allowed to lobby their former colleagues in Congress after a "cooling off" period - one year for former members of the House of Representatives and two years for former senators. The BLAST Act would replace "cooling off" periods with a permanent ban and fully prohibit former members from making lobbying contacts, closing a loophole often used to lobby while avoiding registration requirements.

"It's simple: Members of Congress should spend their time in Washington serving the American people, not preparing to cash in big time with a cushy lobbying career after they leave office," said Senator Warren. "It's long past time to close the revolving door that's corrupted our government and destroyed public trust in elected officials. This bipartisan bill is an important push to get that done."

"When politicians use their time in public office to cash in after they leave government, the American people lose. Trust in our institutions is at an all-time low, and the revolving door between Capitol Hill and K Street is a big part of that," said Senator Rick Scott. "We need to restore the American people's trust in their government, and that's why I'm proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to put government clearly back on the side of the people. Our founders never intended public service to become a training ground for a lifetime of lobbying. Senator Warren and I are working to end this practice once and for all."

The bill prohibits two categories of activity:

• Registration: This provision bars former members and elected officers from working as registered lobbyists or engaging in any activity that would require them to register under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. The ban applies to lobbying of Congress and the Executive branch.

• Conduct: This provision prohibits former members from making lobbying contacts, regardless of their registration status. This includes making communications or appearances before members of Congress, congressional staff, or legislative offices with the intent to influence official action on behalf of private parties.

Under the BLAST Act, the Department of Justice could pursue both criminal and civil penalties for violations of the lifetime lobbying ban. Criminal penalties include up to one year imprisonment and up to five years for knowing and willful violations. Civil penalties may include fines of up to $50,000 per violation and injunctive relief to prevent ongoing or future violations. While enforcement would typically be handled by the Department of Justice, including the Public Integrity Section, enforcement could be initiated through referrals from Congress, congressional ethics committees, or Inspectors General.

Senator Warren has led the fight to root out corruption and close the revolving door between government officials and the private sector:

• In April 2026, at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) pressed Secretary Hegseth on allegations that Trump administration officials are engaging in possible insider trading by placing bets on the Iran War through prediction markets.
• In February 2026, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Andy Kim (D-N.J.), along with Representatives Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) and Deborah Ross (D-N.C.) pressed the Inspectors General (IGs) of 16 key agencies to open investigations into senior Trump officials who were recently lobbyists or "shadow lobbyists" and may be using their roles to benefit their former employers and clients.
• In January 2026, Senators Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Andy Kim (D-N.J.), pressed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on potential conflicts of interest surrounding the awarding of multiple lucrative Department of Defense (DoD) contracts and loans to companies associated with President Donald Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr.
• In December 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) pressed the Trump administration to follow through on promises to limit defense companies stock buybacks and incentivize them to increase research and development spending.
• In December 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called for then-Attorney General Pam Bondi to recuse herself from the Department of Justice (DOJ)'s review of any Warner Bros. merger due to potential conflicts of interest related to her former employer, lobbying firm Ballard Partners.
• Senator Warren's Department of Defense (DoD) Ethics and Anti-Corruption Act, with now-Senator Andy Kim (D-N.J.), would limit the influence of contractors on the military, constrain foreign influence on retired senior military officers, and assert greater transparency over contractors and their interaction with DoD.
• In July 2025, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.), wrote to former Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin seeking an explanation and further information on his recent decision to start a strategic advisory firm. Austin had publicly promised Senator Warren during his 2021 confirmation process that he would not become a lobbyist after his government service ended.
• In December 2020, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) reintroduced the Anti-Corruption & Public Integrity Act, to strengthen ethics laws and crack down on government officials' conflicts of interest across the government.

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