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A bill to preserve the integrity of American elections by providing the Attorney General with the investigative tools to identify and prosecute foreign agents who seek to circumvent Federal registration requirements and unlawfully influence the political process.

USA115th CongressS-625| Senate 
| Updated: 3/14/2017
Jeanne Shaheen

Jeanne Shaheen

Democratic Senator

New Hampshire

Cosponsors (4)
Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Todd Young (Republican)Amy Klobuchar (Democratic)Chris Van Hollen (Democratic)

Foreign Relations Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Foreign Agents Registration Modernization and Enforcement Act This bill amends the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (FARA) to provide that whenever the Department of Justice (DOJ) has reason to believe that a person or enterprise may be in possession or control of documentary material relevant to an investigation under FARA, the DOJ, before initiating a civil or criminal proceeding with respect to the production of such material, may serve a written demand upon the entity to produce the material for examination. The bill includes social media communications under information that foreign agents must file with DOJ. Under certain circumstances, social media communications are exempted from the requirement for foreign agents to include a disclosure statement in informational materials. Informational materials disseminated by a foreign agent as part of an activity that would not require registration, need not be filed. The FARA Registration Unit shall submit a semiannual report to Congress regarding the administration of FARA, including the number of investigations initiated based upon a perceived violation and the number of such investigations that were referred to DOJ for prosecution.
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Timeline
Mar 14, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Mar 14, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Jul 12, 2017

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 115-2811
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
  • March 14, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • March 14, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.


  • July 12, 2017

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 115-2811
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

International Affairs

Related Bills

  • HR 115-2811: To preserve the integrity of American elections by providing the Attorney General with the investigative tools to identify and prosecute foreign agents who seek to circumvent Federal registration requirements and unlawfully influence the political process.
  • HR 115-6249: To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to treat certain foreign-owned corporations and business organizations as foreign nationals for purposes of the ban on campaign activity, to prohibit foreign-affiliated section 501(c)(4) organizations from making contributions to super PACs or disbursing funds for independent expenditures or electioneering communications, to amend the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 to reform the procedures for the registration of agents of foreign principals under such Act, and for other purposes.
Broadcasting, cable, digital technologiesCivil actions and liabilityCongressional oversightCriminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationEvidence and witnessesGovernment studies and investigationsInternet and video servicesInternet, web applications, social mediaLicensing and registrationsMarketing and advertisingNews media and reportingPublic participation and lobbyingTelevision and filmUser charges and fees

A bill to preserve the integrity of American elections by providing the Attorney General with the investigative tools to identify and prosecute foreign agents who seek to circumvent Federal registration requirements and unlawfully influence the political process.

USA115th CongressS-625| Senate 
| Updated: 3/14/2017
Foreign Agents Registration Modernization and Enforcement Act This bill amends the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (FARA) to provide that whenever the Department of Justice (DOJ) has reason to believe that a person or enterprise may be in possession or control of documentary material relevant to an investigation under FARA, the DOJ, before initiating a civil or criminal proceeding with respect to the production of such material, may serve a written demand upon the entity to produce the material for examination. The bill includes social media communications under information that foreign agents must file with DOJ. Under certain circumstances, social media communications are exempted from the requirement for foreign agents to include a disclosure statement in informational materials. Informational materials disseminated by a foreign agent as part of an activity that would not require registration, need not be filed. The FARA Registration Unit shall submit a semiannual report to Congress regarding the administration of FARA, including the number of investigations initiated based upon a perceived violation and the number of such investigations that were referred to DOJ for prosecution.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Mar 14, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Mar 14, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Jul 12, 2017

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 115-2811
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
  • March 14, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • March 14, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.


  • July 12, 2017

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 115-2811
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
Jeanne Shaheen

Jeanne Shaheen

Democratic Senator

New Hampshire

Cosponsors (4)
Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Todd Young (Republican)Amy Klobuchar (Democratic)Chris Van Hollen (Democratic)

Foreign Relations Committee

International Affairs

Related Bills

  • HR 115-2811: To preserve the integrity of American elections by providing the Attorney General with the investigative tools to identify and prosecute foreign agents who seek to circumvent Federal registration requirements and unlawfully influence the political process.
  • HR 115-6249: To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to treat certain foreign-owned corporations and business organizations as foreign nationals for purposes of the ban on campaign activity, to prohibit foreign-affiliated section 501(c)(4) organizations from making contributions to super PACs or disbursing funds for independent expenditures or electioneering communications, to amend the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 to reform the procedures for the registration of agents of foreign principals under such Act, and for other purposes.
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Broadcasting, cable, digital technologiesCivil actions and liabilityCongressional oversightCriminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationEvidence and witnessesGovernment studies and investigationsInternet and video servicesInternet, web applications, social mediaLicensing and registrationsMarketing and advertisingNews media and reportingPublic participation and lobbyingTelevision and filmUser charges and fees