Title 2The CongressRelease 119-73

§1609 Identification of clients and covered officials

Title 2 › Chapter CHAPTER 26— - DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES › § 1609

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

When someone makes an oral lobbying contact with a covered legislative or covered executive branch official and the official asks during the contact, the speaker must say if they are registered under this chapter, name the client they represent, say if that client is a foreign entity, and name any foreign entity with a direct interest that must be disclosed under section 1603(b)(4). If a registered person sends a written or electronic lobbying message to a covered official, they must name any client that is a foreign entity, say the client is treated as foreign under this chapter and whether the sender is registered for that client under section 1603, and identify any other foreign entity with a direct interest under section 1603(b)(4). If asked, the person contacted or their office must say whether the person is a covered legislative or covered executive branch official.

Full Legal Text

Title 2, §1609

The Congress — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Any person or entity that makes an oral lobbying contact with a covered legislative branch official or a covered executive branch official shall, on the request of the official at the time of the lobbying contact—
(1)state whether the person or entity is registered under this chapter and identify the client on whose behalf the lobbying contact is made; and
(2)state whether such client is a foreign entity and identify any foreign entity required to be disclosed under section 1603(b)(4) of this title that has a direct interest in the outcome of the lobbying activity.
(b)Any person or entity registered under this chapter that makes a written lobbying contact (including an electronic communication) with a covered legislative branch official or a covered executive branch official shall—
(1)if the client on whose behalf the lobbying contact was made is a foreign entity, identify such client, state that the client is considered a foreign entity under this chapter, and state whether the person making the lobbying contact is registered on behalf of that client under section 1603 of this title; and
(2)identify any other foreign entity identified pursuant to section 1603(b)(4) of this title that has a direct interest in the outcome of the lobbying activity.
(c)Upon request by a person or entity making a lobbying contact, the individual who is contacted or the office employing that individual shall indicate whether or not the individual is a covered legislative branch official or a covered executive branch official.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1) and (b), was in the original “this Act” meaning Pub. L. 104–65, Dec. 19, 1995, 109 Stat. 691, known as the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1601 of this title and Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1996, see section 24 of Pub. L. 104–65, set out as a note under section 1601 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

2 U.S.C. § 1609

Title 2The Congress

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73