Reading Room Document

Effect of the "antilobbying" provisions of Federal law upon activities of the Executive branch.

The document contains three Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) memoranda discussing the impact of "antilobbying" provisions of federal law on the activities of the Executive branch. The conclusion reached is that a restrictive reading of 18 U.S.C. 1913 should be applied, prohibiting only attempts by the Executive branch to influence Congress through the public, but not direct contact between authorized members of the Executive branch and Congress itself. The document presents questions for review regarding the interpretation of the antilobbying provisions and the potential conflict with individual congressmen who have asserted a contrary principle. It also addresses the concern of avoiding a conflict by handling legislative contacts at relatively high levels to prevent hundreds of bureaucrats from running about the halls of Congress.

November 11, 1974