Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) speaks to reporters outside a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on “low-cost munitions” Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at the Dirk Sen Building.
Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call Inc. | Getty Images
A new bipartisan bill, first reported by CNBC, would permanently bar members of Congress from becoming lobbyists after leaving office.
The bill would not only ban senators and members of the U.S. House of Representatives from registering as lobbyists, but would also prevent them from receiving compensation for trying to influence lawmakers or staff on behalf of companies or organizations, and would close a loophole that allowed former members of Congress to lobby without registering as lobbyists.
The effort comes from Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida. And Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, has emerged as a growing number of members of Congress oppose profiting from elected positions. A number of bipartisan bills have been introduced this Congress that would prohibit members from owning or trading stocks or betting on prediction markets.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts and ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, during a public hearing on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in Washington, DC, USA.
Graham Sloan | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The new bill, which is unlikely to pass, would subject violators to a $50,000 fine or up to five years in prison for each violation.
“Trust in our institutions is at an all-time low, and the revolving door between the Capitol and K Street is a big part of that,” Scott said in a statement to CNBC. “We need to restore the American people’s trust in government, which is why I’m proud to introduce bipartisan legislation that brings government back clearly to the people.”
