PAID OFF Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator John Cornyn
Introduced
Summary
This bill would limit exemptions under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) for agents tied to corporate or government foreign principals owned or controlled by specified "countries of concern." It also creates a formal process for the Secretary of State, with the Attorney General, to propose changes to that country list that take effect only after a specific Congressional approval process, and the changes expire after 5 years.
Show full summary
- Agents and U.S. firms that represent corporate or government foreign principals owned or controlled by the listed countries would no longer qualify for the specified FARA exemptions and would be subject to FARA registration requirements.
- The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney General, would be authorized to propose additions or removals to the list of "countries of concern." Proposals must be sent to the chairmen and ranking members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Judiciary Committee.
- Proposed changes to the list would become effective only if Congress enacts a joint resolution of approval that meets the bill's form and referral rules.
- The bill's amendments would expire five years after enactment, ending the new limits unless renewed.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Tighter disclosure for some foreign agents
If enacted, the bill would narrow some exemptions under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. It would bar certain exemptions when the foreign principal is a company or government owned or controlled by listed "countries of concern." Agents in that situation would likely need to register and disclose more about their work. The Secretary of State and Attorney General could propose adding or removing countries, but any change would need a special joint resolution passed by Congress. The bill’s changes would expire five years after enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
John Cornyn
TX • R
Cosponsors
Sheldon Whitehouse
RI • D
Sponsored 10/23/2025
James Risch
ID • R
Sponsored 10/23/2025
Deb Fischer
NE • R
Sponsored 10/23/2025
Bill Hagerty
TN • R
Sponsored 10/23/2025
Thomas Tillis
NC • R
Sponsored 10/23/2025
Peter Welch
VT • D
Sponsored 10/23/2025
Chuck Grassley
IA • R
Sponsored 10/23/2025
John Kennedy
LA • R
Sponsored 10/23/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Start a Free Government Policy Watch to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in