# 119-hr-7231: Lobbyist Loophole Closure Act

119-hr-7231, Lobbyist Loophole Closure Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3] (D-IL); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7231
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-7231
- Congress: 119
- Title: Lobbyist Loophole Closure Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-01-22
- Sponsor: Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3] (D-IL)
- Cosponsors: 5
- Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**Expands who counts as a lobbyist by treating strategic and political counseling tied to lobbying contacts as lobbying activity.** This bill would amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act to make legislative, political, and strategic counseling that supports lobbying contacts fall under the Act and to treat certain counselors who direct or substantially influence contacts as having made those contacts. - Consultants and paid counselors: People who provide legislative, political, or strategic counseling in support of a lobbying contact would need to register and report. If a counselor for pay directs or substantially influences a contact and knows it occurred they are treated as making that contact. - Employers and in-house staff: Organizations that use or employ advisors could see more individuals meet the registration test because the exemption threshold is lowered from 20% to 10%. These changes apply to lobbying contacts made on or after enactment. - Public transparency: The bill broadens who must register and report under the Lobbying Disclosure Act, increasing disclosures about who shaped specific lobbying contacts and when they occurred.

## Cosponsors (5)

- Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5] (D-GA), 2026-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15] (D-CA), 2026-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12] (D-CA), 2026-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20] (D-NY), 2026-01-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4] (D-OR), 2026-01-30T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- New lobbying rules for paid advisors: cost, low. This bill would expand who counts as a lobbyist. It would treat planning, research, and counseling done for pay as lobbying when tied to lobbying contacts. Paid advisers who direct or substantially influence another person's lobbying contact and who knew the contact happened would be treated as mak…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-3069: Medicare for All Act
- 119-hr-7853: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026
- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-7231 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7231)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-3069: Medicare for All Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3069)
- [119-hr-7853: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7853)
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7231 (as of 2026-04-21).