Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

22 U.S.C. § 616

Public examination of official records; transmittal of records and information

(a)

Permanent copy of statement; inspection; withdrawal

The Attorney General shall retain in permanent form one copy of all registration statements furnished under this subchapter, and the same shall be public records and open to public examination and inspection at such reasonable hours, under such regulations, as the Attorney General may prescribe, and copies of the same shall be furnished to every applicant at such reasonable fee as the Attorney General may prescribe. The Attorney General may withdraw from public examination the registration statement and other statements of any agent of a foreign principal whose activities have ceased to be of a character which requires registration under the provisions of this subchapter.

(b)

Secretary of State

The Attorney General shall, promptly upon receipt, transmit one copy of every registration statement filed hereunder and one copy of every amendment or supplement thereto filed hereunder, to the Secretary of State for such comment and use as the Secretary of State may determine to be appropriate from the point of view of the foreign relations of the United States. Failure of the Attorney General so to transmit such copy shall not be a bar to prosecution under this subchapter.

(c)

Executive departments and agencies; Congressional committees

The Attorney General is authorized to furnish to departments and agencies in the executive branch and committees of the Congress such information obtained by him in the administration of this subchapter, including the names of registrants under this subchapter, copies of registration statements, or parts thereof, or other documents or information filed under this subchapter, as may be appropriate in the light of the purposes of this subchapter.

(d)

Public database of registration statements and updates

(1)

In general

The Attorney General shall maintain, and make available to the public over the Internet, without a fee or other access charge, in a searchable, sortable, and downloadable manner, to the extent technically practicable, an electronic database that—
(A)
includes the information contained in registration statements and updates filed under this subchapter; and
(B)
section 612(a) of this title is searchable and sortable, at a minimum, by each of the categories of information described in .
(2)

Accountability

section 612(g) of this titleThe Attorney General shall make each registration statement and update filed in electronic form pursuant to available for public inspection over the Internet as soon as technically practicable after the registration statement or update is filed.

June 8, 1938, ch. 327, § 652 Stat. 633Apr. 29, 1942, ch. 263, § 156 Stat. 256Pub. L. 89–486, § 680 Stat. 247Pub. L. 104–65, § 9(7)109 Stat. 700Pub. L. 110–81, title II, § 212(b)121 Stat. 749(, ; , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

section 620 of this titlePrior to general amendment of act , by act , section related to rules and regulations. Provisions on that subject were incorporated in by 1942 amendment.

section 614 of this titleProvisions on this subject were contained in prior to general amendment of act , by act .

Amendments

Pub. L. 110–812007—Subsec. (d). added subsec. (d).

Pub. L. 104–65, § 9(7)(A)1995—Subsec. (a). , struck out “and all statements concerning the distribution of political propaganda” after “all registration statements”.

Pub. L. 104–65, § 9(7)(B)Subsec. (b). , struck out “, and one copy of every item of political propaganda” after “supplement thereto”.

Pub. L. 104–65, § 9(7)(C)Subsec. (c). , struck out “copies of political propaganda,” after “parts thereof,”.

Pub. L. 89–4861966— designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsecs. (b) and (c).

1942—Act , amended section generally.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2007 Amendment

Pub. L. 110–81section 212(c) of Pub. L. 110–81section 612 of this titleAmendment by effective on the 90th day after , see , set out as a note under .

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 of 1966 Amendment

Pub. L. 89–486section 9 of Pub. L. 89–486section 611 of this titleAmendment by effective ninety days after , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1942 Amendment

section 611 of this titleAmendment by act , effective on the sixtieth day after , except that prior to such sixtieth day the Attorney General may make, prescribe, amend, and rescind such rules, regulations, and forms as may be necessary to carry out act , see section 3 of act , set out as a note under .