CLEAR Path Act
Congress Proposes 5-Year Post-Job Ban for Senate-Confirmed Officials Lobbying for Certain Foreign Governments
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- Creates a new rule that can punish certain top executive branch officials if, after leaving their job, they lobby or advise certain foreign governments to influence U.S. decisions.
- Applies to people in Senate-confirmed positions (like agency heads and deputies) who are appointed after the law takes effect.
- Targets work done for a foreign government from a “country of concern,” and covers actions like representing, aiding, or advising that government before U.S. executive or legislative branch staff.
- Requires agencies to give covered officials written notice of these restrictions when they start the job and when they leave.
- The new restriction would sunset after 5 years for people appointed after that 5-year mark, meaning the added rule would stop applying to future appointees unless renewed.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
How this policy affects specific groups of people
Milestones
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
3 articles
Political Law Playbook – January 2026
Newsletter notes the bipartisan CLEAR Path Act would prohibit former agency heads, deputies, and other Senate-confirmed officials from lobbying for designated “countries of concern,” listing China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Syria.
Welch bill to mitigate foreign influence on US policymaking passes committee
Covers Judiciary Committee advancement of the CLEAR Path Act and summarizes its restrictions on former Senate-confirmed officials lobbying for “countries of concern,” plus the bill’s mechanism for updating the list.
Cornyn, Colleagues Bill to Mitigate Foreign Influence on U.S. Policymaking Passes Senate Judiciary Committee
Announcement and statements after the CLEAR Path Act advanced out of Senate Judiciary; describes the bill as restricting certain former officials from lobbying the executive and legislative branches for “countries of concern.”
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
CLEAR Path Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(1)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.