US Code

Public Law 119-87 (04/30/2026)

18 U.S.C. § 219

Officers and employees acting as agents of foreign principals

(a)
Whoever, being a public official, is or acts as an agent of a foreign principal required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 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 shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than two years, or both.
(b)
Nothing in this section shall apply to the employment of any agent 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 be 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.
(c)
For the purpose of this section “public official” means Member of Congress, Delegate, 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 Government thereof, including the District of Columbia, in any official function, under or by authority of any such department, agency, or branch of Government.

Pub. L. 89–486, § 8(b)80 Stat. 249 Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 111698 Stat. 2149 Pub. L. 99–646, § 30100 Stat. 3598 Pub. L. 101–647, title XXXV, § 3511104 Stat. 4922 Pub. L. 104–65, § 12(b)109 Stat. 701 (Added , , ; amended , , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

act June 8, 1938, ch. 327 52 Stat. 631 section 616 of Title 22section 611 of Title 22The Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended, referred to in subsec. (a), is , , which is classified generally to subchapter II (§ 611 et seq.) of chapter 11 of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse. Section 6 of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 is classified to . For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Pub. L. 104–65109 Stat. 691 section 1602(6) of Title 2section 1601 of Title 2The Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, referred to in subsec. (a), is , , , which is classified principally to chapter 26 (§ 1601 et seq.) of Title 2, The Congress. Section 3(6) of the Act is classified to . For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 219 was renumbered section 214.

Amendments

Pub. L. 104–651995—Subsec. (a). 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,”.

Pub. L. 101–6471990—Subsec. (c). substituted “Government” for “Governments” before “thereof”.

Pub. L. 99–646, § 30(1)1986—Subsec. (a). , 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.”

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

Pub. L. 99–646, § 30(2)Subsec. (c). , (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”.

Pub. L. 98–4731984— substituted “a public official” for “an officer or employee” in first par., and inserted par. defining “public official”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1995 Amendment

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

Effective Date

section 9 of Pub. L. 89–486section 611 of Title 22Section effective ninety days after , see , set out as an Effective Date of 1966 Amendment note under , Foreign Relations and Intercourse.