§ 219. Officers and employees acting as agents of foreign principals

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

1. 1966

   Pub. L. 89–486 § 8(b) · 80 Stat. 244

   Enacted · 18 U.S.C. § 219

   Added Pub. L. 89–486, § 8(b), July 4, 1966, 80 Stat. 249

   Source evidence

   Code source credit
   Added Pub. L. 89–486, § 8(b), July 4, 1966, 80 Stat. 249

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (b) Chapter 11 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by 62 Stat. 690; 76 Stat. 1119. adding at the end thereof a new section as follows: “§ 219. Officers and employees acting as agents of foreign principals “Whoever, being an officer or employee of the United States in the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government or in any agency of the United States, including the District of Columbia, is or acts as an agent of a foreign principal required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended, shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than two years, or both. “Nothing in this section shall apply to the employment of any agent Exemption. of a foreign principal as a special Government employee in any case in which the head of the employing agency certifies that such employment is required in the national interest. A copy of any certification under this paragraph shall be forwarded by the head of such agency to the Attorney General who shall cause the same to lie filed with the registration statement and other documents filed by such agent, and made available for public inspection in accordance with section 6 of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended.”

2. 1984

   Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984

   Pub. L. 98–473 title II § 1116 · 98 Stat. 1837

   1. Substituted · 18 U.S.C. § 219

      Pub. L. 98–473 substituted “a public official” for “an officer or employee” in first par.

   2. Inserted · 18 U.S.C. § 219

      Pub. L. 98–473 inserted par. defining “public official”

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Pub. L. 98–473 substituted “a public official” for “an officer or employee” in first par., and inserted par. defining “public official”.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   Sec. 1116. Section 219 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by: (1) striking out “an officer or employee” and inserting in lieu thereof “a public official”; and (2) adding at the end thereof the following new paragraph: “For the purpose of this section ‘public official’ means Member of Congress, the Delegate from the District of Columbia, or Resident Commissioner, either before or after he has qualified, or an officer or employee or person acting for or on behalf of the United States, or any department, agency, or branch of Governments thereof, including the District of Columbia, in any official function, under or by authority of any such department, agency, or branch of Government, or a juror.”.

3. 1986

   Criminal Law and Procedure Technical Amendments Act of 1986

   Pub. L. 99–646 § 30(1) · 100 Stat. 3592

   1. Amended · 18 U.S.C. § 219(a)

      Pub. L. 99–646, § 30(1), designated first par. as subsec. (a)

   2. Amended · 18 U.S.C. § 219(a)

      Pub. L. 99–646, § 30(1), amended it generally, which prior to amendment read as follows: “Whoever, being a public official of the United States in the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government or in any agency of the United States, including the District of Columbia, is or acts as an agent of a foreign principal required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended, shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than two years, or both.”

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–646, § 30(1), designated first par. as subsec. (a) and amended it generally, which prior to amendment read as follows: “Whoever, being a public official of the United States in the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government or in any agency of the United States, including the District of Columbia, is or acts as an agent of a foreign principal required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended, shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than two years, or both.”

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (1) so that the first paragraph reads as follows: “(a) Whoever, being a public official, is or acts as an agent of a foreign principal required to register under the Foreign Agents 22 USC 611. Registration Act of 1938, as amended, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than two years, or both.”;

4. 1986

   Criminal Law and Procedure Technical Amendments Act of 1986

   Pub. L. 99–646 § 30(2) · 100 Stat. 3592

   Amended · 18 U.S.C. § 219(b)

   Pub. L. 99–646, § 30(2), designated second par. as subsec. (b)

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–646, § 30(2), designated second par. as subsec. (b).

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (2) by redesignating the second and third paragraphs as subsection (b) and (c), respectively; and

5. 1986

   Criminal Law and Procedure Technical Amendments Act of 1986

   Pub. L. 99–646 § 30(2) · 100 Stat. 3592

   1. Amended · 18 U.S.C. § 219(c)

      Pub. L. 99–646, § 30(2), (3), designated third par. as subsec. (c)

   2. Substituted · 18 U.S.C. § 219(c)

      Pub. L. 99–646, § 30(2), (3), substituted “Delegate” for “Delegate from the District of Columbia”

   3. Substituted · 18 U.S.C. § 219(c)

      Pub. L. 99–646, § 30(2), (3), substituted “branch of Government” for “branch of Government, or a juror”

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–646, § 30(2), (3), designated third par. as subsec. (c) and substituted “Delegate” for “Delegate from the District of Columbia” and “branch of Government” for “branch of Government, or a juror”.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (2) by redesignating the second and third paragraphs as subsection (b) and (c), respectively; and

6. 1990

   Crime Control Act of 1990

   Pub. L. 101–647 title XXXV § 3511 · 104 Stat. 4789

   Substituted · 18 U.S.C. § 219(c)

   Pub. L. 101–647 substituted “Government” for “Governments” before “thereof”

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–647 substituted “Government” for “Governments” before “thereof”.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   SEC. 3511. CORRECTION TO SECTION 219. Section 219(c) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking “Governments” and inserting “Government”.

7. 1995

   Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995

   Pub. L. 104–65 § 12(b) · 109 Stat. 691

   Substituted · 18 U.S.C. § 219(a)

   Pub. L. 104–65 substituted “or a lobbyist required to register under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 in connection with the representation of a foreign entity, as defined in section 3(6) of that Act” for “, as amended,”

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–65 substituted “or a lobbyist required to register under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 in connection with the representation of a foreign entity, as defined in section 3(6) of that Act” for “, as amended,”.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (b) Amendments to Title 18, United States Code.— Section 219(a) of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) by inserting “or a lobbyist required to register under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 in connection with the representation of a foreign entity, as defined in section 3(6) of that Act” after “an agent of a foreign principal required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938”; and (2) by striking out “, as amended,”.

   Effective date note
   Amendment by Pub. L. 104–65 effective Jan. 1, 1996, except as otherwise provided, see section 24 of Pub. L. 104–65, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1601 of Title 2, The Congress.

11 of 11 references resolved to an enrolled provision