Bronx Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) and Congressman Joe Neguse of Colorado (CO-02) introduced the “Close the Revolving Door Act of 2025,” legislation on Friday, July 11 that, if passed, would impose a lifetime ban on former members of congress from becoming lobbyists.

 

They said the legislation also strengthens lobbying transparency laws, including significantly increasing penalties for violations of the Lobbying Disclosure Act. Ocasio-Cortez and Neguse previously partnered on efforts to enact legislation to prohibit members of congress from trading stocks. 

 

“The revolving door of public service to lobbying is a major reason why everyday Americans struggle to trust our institutions,” said Ocasio-Cortez. “It erodes the faith and integrity of our lawmaking and cuts against the principle that our service here puts Americans first ahead of our own careers and ambitions. Lobbying by members of Congress should be banned, and I am happy to support Rep. Neguse’s bill.”

Meanwhile, Neguse said the American people deserve far better from their government and elected leaders, and that this includes an end to the corruption that he said has become pervasive in Washington D.C.

 

“It is why I’ve led an effort for years to ban stock trading by Members of Congress, and why I’m proud to join my colleague Rep. Ocasio-Cortez in introducing the Revolving Door Act, common-sense legislation that would ban former Members of Congress from becoming lobbyists after they leave elected office,” he said. “We must clean up government for future generations and ensure our government is serving the American people, not special interests, which is exactly what our legislation is designed to do.” 

 

Not all of the wealthiest congress members voted in favor of the Trump administration’s recent, so-called “big, beautiful bill” but it is undeniable that a large number are millionaires, as reported by News Nation in February 2025. “According to a government pay record, representatives and senators bank $174,000 per annum as of 2025,” an extract from the story read. “That’s almost three times the average United States income in 2024 of around $63,600, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.”

 

The number of millionaires in Congress is actually down from around 237 members as of 2009, as reported by CBS News.

 

According to Ocasio-Cortez and Neguse, the Close the Revolving Door Act of 2025 would: 

• impose a lifetime ban on former members of congress from engaging in any lobbying activities aimed at influencing congress after they leave office;
• prohibit senior congressional staff from lobbying congress for six years following their departure from service; 
• require the clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives and the secretary of the U.S. Senate to create and maintain a public database website called lobbyists.gov;
• create a six-year restriction on hiring lobbyists or foreign agents into congressional offices if they had substantial prior lobbying contact with the office in question; and 
• increase civil penalties for violations of the Lobbying Disclosure Act from $200,000 to $500,000.

 

The full text of the bill can be read here.