text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Agency Anti-Lobbying Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
  
      (a) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
              (1) Federal agency employees have used appropriated funds 
          to foster public support and opposition to legislation pending 
          before the Congress;
              (2) there are conflicting interpretations of the existing 
          anti-lobbying restrictions; and
              (3) the use of appropriated funds derived from tax revenues 
          paid to the Treasury by all Americans to preferentially support 
          or oppose pending legislation is inappropriate and improper.
      (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to establish a civil 
  prohibition on the expenditure of appropriated funds by Federal 
  agencies for lobbying purposes and to make clear that such funds may 
  not be used in any manner or in any amount, however small, to organize 
  efforts to affect the outcome of congressional action by appealing 
  directly or indirectly for public support.
  
  SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON USE OF APPROPRIATED FUNDS FOR LOBBYING BY 
                FEDERAL AGENCIES.
  
      (a) In General.--Subchapter III of chapter 13 of title 31, United 
  States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
  ``Sec. 1354. Prohibition on lobbying by Federal agencies
      ``(a) Prohibition.--Except as provided in subsection (b), until or 
  unless such activity has been specifically authorized by an Act of 
  Congress and notwithstanding any other provision of law, no funds made 
  available to any Federal agency by appropriation shall be used by such 
  agency for any activity (including the preparation, publication, 
  distribution, or use of any kit, pamphlet, booklet, public 
  presentation, news release, radio, television, or film presentation, 
  video, or other written or oral statement) that is intended to promote 
  public support or opposition to any legislative proposal (including the 
  confirmation of the nomination of a public official or the ratification 
  of a treaty) on which congressional action is not complete.
      ``(b) Exceptions.--
              ``(1) President and vice president.--Subsection (a) shall 
          not apply to the President or Vice President.
              ``(2) Congressional communications.--Subsection (a) shall 
          not be construed to prevent any officer or employee of a 
          Federal agency from--
                      ``(A) communicating directly to a Member of 
                  Congress (or to any staff of a Member or committee of 
                  Congress) a request for legislation or appropriations 
                  that such officer or employee deems necessary for the 
                  efficient conduct of the public business; or
                      ``(B) responding to a request for information or 
                  technical assistance made by a Member of Congress (or 
                  by any staff of a Member or committee of Congress).
              ``(3) Public communications on views of president.--
          Subsection (a) shall not be construed to prevent any Federal 
          agency official whose appointment is confirmed by the Senate, 
          any official in the Executive Office of the President directly 
          appointed by the President or Vice President, or the head of 
          any Federal agency described in subsection (d)(2), from 
          communicating with the American public, through radio, 
          television, or other public communication media, on the views 
          of the President for or against any pending legislative 
          proposal. The preceding sentence shall not permit any such 
          official to delegate to another person the authority to make 
          communications subject to the exemption provided by such 
          sentence.
      ``(c) Comptroller General.--
              ``(1) Assistance of inspector general.--In exercising the 
          authority provided in section 712, as applied to this section, 
          the Comptroller General may obtain, without reimbursement from 
          the Comptroller General, the assistance of the Inspector 
          General within whose Federal agency activity prohibited by 
          subsection (a) of this section is under review.
              ``(2) Evaluation.--One year after the date of the enactment 
          of this section, the Comptroller General shall report to the 
          Committee on Government Reform and Oversight of the House of 
          Representatives and the Committee on Governmental Affairs of 
          the Senate on the implementation of this section.
              ``(3) Annual report.--The Comptroller General shall, in the 
          annual report under section 719(a), include summaries of 
          investigations undertaken by the Comptroller General with 
          respect to subsection (a).
      ``(d) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term `Federal 
  agency' means--
              ``(1) any executive agency, within the meaning of section 
          105 of title 5; and
              ``(2) any private corporation created by a law of the 
          United States for which the Congress appropriates funds.''.
      (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 13 of 
  title 31, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item 
  relating to section 1353 the following new item:
  
  ``1354. Prohibition on lobbying by Federal agencies.''.
      (c) Applicability.--The amendments made by this section shall apply 
  to the use of funds after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
  including funds appropriated or received on or before such date.
target: Federal Agency Anti-Lobbying Act - Prohibits the use of any appropriated funds by Federal agencies for any activity that includes the preparation, publication, or distribution of any written, oral, or visual material promoting public support or opposition to any legislative proposal, including the confirmation of the nomination of a public official or ratification of a treaty on which congressional action is not complete, with the exception of:  (1) the President; (2) Vice-President; (3) specified congressional communications; and (4) public communications by any Federal agency official on the views of the President for or against any pending legislative proposal.
feat_title: Federal Agency Anti-Lobbying Act