Foreign Agent Registration

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO: (1) updated a 1986 report by identifying former high-level federal officials that represent foreign interests before the U.S. government; and (2) determined the status of Department of Justice (DOJ) actions to correct previously identified problems concerning the administration of foreign agent registration. GAO found that: (1) 82 former high-level officials that left the U.S. government between fiscal years 1986 and 1991 represent foreign interests before the U.S. government, but it did not determine if conflict-of-interest laws were violated; and (2) DOJ has taken actions to address previous GAO recommendations concerning seeking legislative authority to enforce compliance, improving reporting requirements to agents, conducting surveys of user concerns, and inspecting the activities of certain types of agents.