Contact Congress about S. 981: Foreign Agents Transparency Act

People who worked for foreign clients in the U.S. could still have to disclose that work after it ends. The Justice Department could ask a court to force compliance and would report some cases to Congress each year.

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Foreign Agents Transparency Act is a Senate bill in committee. The latest recorded action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Latest action on S. 981: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Who this affects: This bill mainly affects people who act, or recently acted, in the U.S. for foreign governments, foreign political parties, or other foreign clients. It also affects former foreign agents who thought their disclosure duties ended when the work ended. Congress, watchdog groups, researchers, and the public could get more usable information about how the Justice Department enforces FARA.

Why this matters: Foreign-agent work can affect U.S. politics and public debate, but old work may not be easy to see. This bill would make clear that disclosure duties can reach past work, not just current work. It could help Congress and the public see how the Justice Department enforces FARA against former agents. The bill does not say how many new registrations, investigations, or court cases would result.

Key provisions in S. 981

• FARA registration would cover past foreign-agent work. FARA is the law that requires people to disclose certain U.S. work for foreign governments, political parties, or other foreign clients.
• The clarified rule would reach people who acted as foreign agents in the five years before the bill becomes law. It also covers people acting on that day or any time later.
• The Attorney General could ask a court to make someone follow FARA. This could happen while the person is acting as a foreign agent or after the work ends.
• A court could order someone to register for past foreign-agent work. That would still be true even if the person is no longer a foreign agent when the order comes down.
• The Attorney General would have to send Congress a yearly report on each covered enforcement action. The report must be machine-readable, meaning computers can sort and analyze it, and any member of Congress could ask for it.

How Modern Action helps you take action on S. 981

You do not have to start with a blank letter. Modern Action turns the bill, your position, and the relevant congressional context into a message you can edit and send. The goal is to make contacting Congress clear, specific, and useful without forcing you to parse bill text or figure out the right office on your own.

Questions people ask about S. 981

What is S. 981?

People who worked for foreign clients in the U.S. could still have to disclose that work after it ends. The Justice Department could ask a court to force compliance and would report some cases to Congress each year.

How do I support or oppose S. 981?

Choose support, oppose, or ask for changes on Modern Action. The action flow drafts the message for you and keeps the wording tied to this bill.

Who should I contact about S. 981?

Modern Action uses your location to route the action to the congressional offices relevant to the bill and your representation.

Can Modern Action explain S. 981 before I act?

Yes. Modern Action gives you a plain-English summary, current status, and action context before you send anything.