Bill
Bill > HR2811
summary
Introduced
06/07/2017
06/07/2017
In Committee
07/12/2017
07/12/2017
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
12/31/2018
12/31/2018
Introduced Session
115th Congress
Bill Summary
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.
AI Summary
This bill amends the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (FARA) to give the Department of Justice (DOJ) the authority to issue civil investigative demands to obtain relevant documentary evidence during FARA investigations, before initiating any civil or criminal proceedings. It also expands the definition of "informational materials" to include electronic communications like email and social media, while exempting some social media posts from the disclosure requirements for foreign agents. Additionally, the bill repeals a provision that allowed the DOJ to collect fees to cover the expenses of the FARA Registration Unit, and instead requires the Attorney General to establish and collect a registration fee as part of the initial filing requirement. Finally, the bill requires the DOJ to submit semiannual reports to Congress on the administration of FARA, including details on registrations, political propaganda, and investigations.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (4)
Last Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations. (on 07/12/2017)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2811/all-info |
| BillText | https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/hr2811/BILLS-115hr2811ih.pdf |
| Bill | https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/hr2811/BILLS-115hr2811ih.pdf.pdf |
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