The BLAST Act is currently in the early stages of the legislative process. It was recently introduced in the Senate and sent to the Committee on the Judiciary for review. There are no upcoming votes scheduled at this time.
Legislative Progress
Senate
House
President
Law
Unlikely to pass
While the bill has support from both parties, members of Congress are often reluctant to pass laws that limit their own future job opportunities after they leave office.
Key Points
The BLAST Act would stop former members of the House and Senate from ever working as lobbyists after they leave office. This would replace the current rules that only make them wait one or two years before they can start lobbying.
The bill also applies to elected officers of Congress. It prevents these former officials from contacting current members or staff to influence laws or government actions on behalf of paying clients.
This change is meant to close the revolving door where politicians use their insider connections to make money from special interest groups. It aims to make sure people in power are focused on the public instead of their next job.
The new rules would only apply to people who leave office after the bill is signed into law. Anyone who breaks these rules could face criminal penalties or fines.
Impact Analysis
Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.
Milestones
2 milestones2 actions
May 13, 2026Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
May 13, 2026
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
