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HR 809 102th Congress House

Foreign Agents Compulsory Ethics in Trade Act of 1991

Official title: To amend chapter 11 of title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the President, the Vice President, certain other former Federal civilian and military personne… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend chapter 11 of title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the President, the Vice President, certain other former Federal civilian and military personnel, and Members of Congress from representing or advising foreign persons for a period of 4 years after leaving Government service, and for other purposes.

Introduced: February 5, 1991 Introduced by: Kaptur, Marcy Democratic · Ohio See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics Conflict of interestsEx-Members of CongressEx-presidentsFederal employees
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Federal officialsFines (Penalties)Foreign agentsInjunctionsLobbyingOfficer personnelRetired military personnelVice Presidents
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This bill died when the 102nd Congress ended
It never became law before the 102nd Congress (1991–1992) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 16, 1991
Referred to the Subcommittee on Administrative Law and Governmental Relations.
Feb 5, 1991
Introduced in House
Feb 5, 1991
Referred to the House Committee on Judiciary.
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 Latest action April 16, 1991

Referred to the Subcommittee on Administrative Law and Governmental Relations.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Foreign Agents Compulsory Ethics in Trade Act of 1991 - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit the President, the Vice President, certain high-level Federal officials and employees, certain high-ranking active-duty members of the uniformed services, and Members of Congress from representing or advising foreign principals on matters of direct and substantial U.S. interest during the four-year period after cessation of Federal employment.

Requires the Attorney General to grant a waiver to such prohibition unless the proposed conduct could harm the national interests or create an undue appearance of conflict of interest.

Authorizes the Attorney General, upon reason to believe that a person is engaging in conduct in violation of this Act, to petition the appropriate U.S. district court for an order prohibiting such conduct.

Establishes civil and criminal penalties for violations of this Act.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 809: Foreign Agents Compulsory Ethics in Trade Act of 1991. 102nd Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-809/
MLA
"H.R. 809: Foreign Agents Compulsory Ethics in Trade Act of 1991." 102nd Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-809/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 809, 102nd Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-809/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 809: Foreign Agents Compulsory Ethics in Trade Act of 1991](https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-809/)
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