§1602 Definitions

Summary

Defines the main words used in the chapter so people know what they mean. Agency — same meaning as in 5 U.S.C. 551(1). Client — someone or a group that hires and pays another to do lobbying for them; if a group’s own employees lobby, the group is both client and employer; for coalitions, the coalition is the client, not each member. Covered executive branch official — includes the President, Vice President, staff in the Executive Office of the President, officials in Executive Schedule levels I–V, uniformed officers at pay grade O–7 or higher, and certain confidential or policy-making officials. Covered legislative branch official — includes Members of Congress, elected officers of either House, and employees or people acting like employees of Members, committees, leadership staff, joint committees, caucuses that help Members, and other legislative employees listed in law. Employee — an officer, employee, partner, director, or owner, but not independent contractors or unpaid volunteers. Foreign entity — a foreign principal as defined in the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Lobbying activities — lobbying contacts plus the planning, research, and coordination done to support those contacts. Lobbying contact — any spoken or written communication (including electronic) to a covered official made for a client about making or changing laws, rules, policies, federal programs or contracts, or nominations; many ordinary, public, legal, or official communications are excluded (for example news gathering, public speeches, congressional testimony, responses to official requests, required or compelled disclosures, court- or law-enforcement-related contacts to the right agency, whistleblower reports, certain religious group communications, and some regulator-to-regulator talks). Lobbying firm — a person or group with one or more employees who lobby for clients other than themselves, including self-employed lobbyists. Lobbyist — an individual paid by a client who makes more than one lobbying contact, unless lobbying is less than 20 percent of their work for that client over a 3-month period. Media organization — an entity that distributes news to the public by newspaper, magazine, radio, TV, cable, or similar media. Member of Congress — a Senator, Representative, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner. Organization — any entity that is not an individual. Person or entity — any individual, company, group, or state or local government. Public official — an elected, appointed, or government employee at federal, state, or local level (with specific exceptions), plus government corporations, organizations of officials, Indian tribes, political parties, and foreign governments or groups acting together. State — each State, the District of Columbia, and any U.S. commonwealth, territory, or possession.