---
kind: "section"
citation: "2 U.S.C. § 1609"
title: "2"
title_heading: "The Congress"
number: "1609"
heading: "Identification of clients and covered officials"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/2/1609"
units:
  - "Chapter 26 — Disclosure of Lobbying Activities"
---

# §1609. Identification of clients and covered officials

- (a) **Oral lobbying contacts—** Any [person or entity](/usc/2/1602.md?p=14) that makes an oral [lobbying contact](/usc/2/1602.md?p=8-A) with a [covered legislative branch official](/usc/2/1602.md?p=4) or a [covered executive branch official](/usc/2/1602.md?p=3) shall, on the request of the official at the time of the [lobbying contact](/usc/2/1602.md?p=8-A)—
  - (1) [state](/usc/2/1602.md?p=16) whether the [person or entity](/usc/2/1602.md?p=14) is registered under this chapter and identify the [client](/usc/2/1602.md?p=2) on whose behalf the [lobbying contact](/usc/2/1602.md?p=8-A) is made; and
  - (2) [state](/usc/2/1602.md?p=16) whether such [client](/usc/2/1602.md?p=2) is a [foreign entity](/usc/2/1602.md?p=6) and identify any [foreign entity](/usc/2/1602.md?p=6) required to be disclosed under [section 1603(b)(4) of this title](/usc/2/1603.md?p=b-4) that has a direct interest in the outcome of the lobbying activity.
- (b) **Written lobbying contacts—** Any [person or entity](/usc/2/1602.md?p=14) registered under this chapter that makes a written [lobbying contact](/usc/2/1602.md?p=8-A) (including an electronic communication) with a [covered legislative branch official](/usc/2/1602.md?p=4) or a [covered executive branch official](/usc/2/1602.md?p=3) shall—
  - (1) if the [client](/usc/2/1602.md?p=2) on whose behalf the [lobbying contact](/usc/2/1602.md?p=8-A) was made is a [foreign entity](/usc/2/1602.md?p=6), identify such [client](/usc/2/1602.md?p=2), [state](/usc/2/1602.md?p=16) that the [client](/usc/2/1602.md?p=2) is considered a [foreign entity](/usc/2/1602.md?p=6) under this chapter, and [state](/usc/2/1602.md?p=16) whether the person making the [lobbying contact](/usc/2/1602.md?p=8-A) is registered on behalf of that [client](/usc/2/1602.md?p=2) under [section 1603 of this title](/usc/2/1603.md); and
  - (2) identify any other [foreign entity](/usc/2/1602.md?p=6) identified pursuant to [section 1603(b)(4) of this title](/usc/2/1603.md?p=b-4) that has a direct interest in the outcome of the lobbying activity.
- (c) **Identification as covered official—** Upon request by a [person or entity](/usc/2/1602.md?p=14) making a [lobbying contact](/usc/2/1602.md?p=8-A), the individual who is contacted or the office employing that individual shall indicate whether or not the individual is a [covered legislative branch official](/usc/2/1602.md?p=4) or a [covered executive branch official](/usc/2/1602.md?p=3).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 104–65, § 14, Dec. 19, 1995, 109 Stat. 702.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1) and (b), was in the original “this Act” meaning Pub. L. 104–65, Dec. 19, 1995, 109 Stat. 691, known as the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1601 of this title and Tables.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1996, see section 24 of Pub. L. 104–65, set out as a note under section 1601 of this title.