Advertising & Marketing

KIDS Act

Brett Guthrie (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would impose online safety rules on platforms, social gaming providers, and AI chatbots that serve minors, including age verification to block minors from sexual content, parental controls, messaging safeguards, advertising limits, and expanded children's privacy protections covering teens up to 18 with new consent, deletion, and targeted-advertising restrictions. It would also create a Kids Internet Safety Partnership to publish reports and best practices, mandate federal studies and educational programs on minors' online safety, and require data brokers selling minors' personal data to register with the Federal Trade Commission and pay an annual fee of at least $22,500. This bill bars advertisers and marketers from collecting or using children's and teens' personal data for targeted ads, prohibits alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and gambling ads to minors, and requires clear ad labels on platforms.

Where it stands

The House passed HR7757 on June 29, 2026 by a two-thirds suspension vote of 267 to 117, after the House Committee on Energy and Commerce had taken it up in a March 5, 2026 markup. The bill was received in the Senate and referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on July 13, 2026, and the Senate must pass identical text before anything can go to the President.

BLAST Act

Barry Moore (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would make it a federal crime, punishable under existing sentencing law, for any former Senator, Representative, or elected officer of Congress to lobby Congress at any point after leaving office, whether by registering as a lobbyist or by knowingly trying to influence congressional employees on someone else's behalf. It would also expand the federal lobbyist definition to count former Members of Congress who are paid by a client for lobbying contacts or other lobbying work, and the ban would apply to everyone who leaves office on or after the bill's enactment. This bill permanently bars former members of Congress from registering as lobbyists or contacting legislators, so public relations and lobbying firms in this industry can no longer hire them as paid consultants to influence legislation.

Where it stands

HR9130 was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary on June 3, 2026 and has had no further action since. It sits at the committee stage, where the committee chair controls whether it ever receives a hearing or a markup, and referral with no follow-on activity is the chamber's most common quiet stopping point.

Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act

Chuck Grassley (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would require lobbyists to disclose the names and addresses of any foreign governments or foreign political parties that direct, plan, supervise, or control their lobbying activities. This disclosure requirement applies even if those foreign entities are not the official client of the lobbying firm. This bill requires lobbying firms and public relations agencies to disclose the names and addresses of foreign governments or political parties that direct, plan, supervise, or control their lobbying activities, even when those entities are not the official client.

Where it stands

S. 856 passed the Senate without amendment by unanimous consent on December 16, 2025, and was held at the desk in the House on December 17, 2025. The Senate completed its action following a markup and report by the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

GAME Act of 2026

Katie Boyd Britt (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would make it unlawful, starting one year after enactment, for large digital advertising platforms such as social media sites, search engines, and ad networks with more than 100 million monthly users to display targeted advertisements directed to anyone under 18 that promote sports gambling platforms, including services marketed as prediction markets. The Federal Trade Commission would enforce the ban under unfair-and-deceptive-practices authority, and a platform referred to the Attorney General after three or more enforcement actions could face criminal fines of up to $100,000 for each targeted sports gambling ad shown to a minor. This bill makes digital advertising platforms and the firms that run targeted ad campaigns liable to FTC civil penalties if they display sports gambling ads to users under 18, with criminal fines for repeat offenders.

Where it stands

S4555 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on May 18, 2026. It is now in committee, where no hearing or markup has been scheduled and the committee chair decides whether anything happens at all.

AIPAC Act

Thomas Massie (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would expand the Foreign Agents Registration Act's definition of foreign principal to cover United States-based organizations that, without directly receiving foreign government money or instructions, lobby in ways that further a foreign country's political or economic interests, based on indicators like repeated advocacy matching official diplomatic objectives, coordination with foreign officials, foreign-based advisory support, or a foreign nation's name in the lobbying activity. It would also let any United States citizen file a complaint with the Department of Justice asking for an investigation into agents of these newly covered foreign principals, and would require the Attorney General to issue public guidance with examples and compliance expectations within 180 days of enactment. This bill requires US-organized public relations and lobbying firms that influence United States policy on behalf of foreign interests to register and bear compliance costs, even without direct foreign funding, and exposes them to Justice Department investigations triggered by citizen complaints.

Where it stands

H.R. 8809 was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary on May 14, 2026, and no further action is recorded; no hearing or markup is scheduled in our calendar data.

SECURE Data Act

John Joyce (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would create a national consumer privacy law giving people rights to access, correct, delete, and transfer their personal data, to opt out of targeted advertising, the sale of their data, and automated profiling, and requiring consent before a company processes sensitive data or a parent consents for children under 13 and teens. It would apply only to companies that process the data of at least 100,000 or 200,000 consumers a year above revenue thresholds, require data brokers to register annually with the FTC and pay a fee for a public searchable registry, be enforced by the FTC and state attorneys general with a 45 day cure period, and preempt state privacy laws. This bill requires advertising, marketing, and public relations firms that process consumer data to honor access, deletion, and opt-out rights, limit data collection to what is necessary, and maintain security practices, while replacing varying state privacy laws with one federal standard.

Where it stands

HR8413, the SECURE Data Act, was referred on April 21, 2026 to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for the provisions within each committee's jurisdiction. Energy and Commerce held a hearing on the bill on June 3, 2026, but the record shows no markup and nothing further scheduled.

A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to the withdrawal of the rule relating to "Limited Applicability of Consumer Financial Protection Act's 'Time or Space' Exception With Respect to Digital Marketing Providers".

Richard Blumenthal (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This resolution disapproves a Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection rule that withdrew an exception regarding digital marketing providers under the Consumer Financial Protection Act. The disapproval ensures that the withdrawal rule has no force or effect, thereby maintaining the status quo where the previous exception remains in place. This bill blocks a rule that withdrew the consumer finance exception for digital marketing providers, keeping advertising and marketing firms that handle financial campaigns exempt from CFPB oversight instead of facing stricter regulation.

Where it stands

The Senate rejected a motion to proceed to consideration of SJRES150 on May 13, 2026, following its discharge from the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and placement on the Legislative Calendar on April 27, 2026.

Consumer Data Privacy and Security Act of 2026

Jerry Moran (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal establishes a comprehensive federal framework for consumer data privacy by requiring businesses to obtain consent before collecting personal information, granting individuals rights to access and delete their data, and mandating security programs for large companies. It preempts most state privacy laws to create a uniform national standard while authorizing the Federal Trade Commission to hire over 400 new staff members to enforce these rules and impose civil penalties on violators. This bill requires advertising, marketing, and public relations firms to obtain consent before collecting personal data, grants consumers access and deletion rights, but exempts marketing using directly collected data, while replacing conflicting state privacy laws with one federal standard.

Where it stands

S4211 is currently referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, having been read twice and referred there on March 25, 2026. No upcoming meetings are scheduled in the available data, leaving the measure in a stalled posture where the committee chair controls whether a hearing or markup occurs.

Lobbyist Loophole Closure Act

Delia C. Ramirez (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal expands the definition of lobbying to include individuals providing legislative, political, and strategic counseling services and treats them as having made the associated lobbying contacts. It also lowers the threshold for mandatory lobbyist registration from less than 20 percent of time spent on lobbying to less than 10 percent. This bill requires advertising, marketing, and public relations firms that provide strategic counseling to clients to register and report as lobbyists, and it doubles the registration trigger from 20 percent to 10 percent of time spent on such activity.

Where it stands

The Lobbyist Loophole Closure Act was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary on January 22, 2026. The committee chair controls whether the measure receives a hearing or a markup, or remains in silence.

Education Not Endless Scrolling Act

Jake Auchincloss (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This act would impose a 50 percent tax on digital advertising revenue exceeding $2.5 billion for large technology companies and direct the funds to three new trust accounts. One-third of the tax revenue would support local journalism, one-third would fund one-on-one student tutoring grants, and one-third would increase funding for career and technical education programs. This bill imposes a 50 percent tax on digital advertising revenue above $2.5 billion for large companies hosting digital advertising services, hitting advertising and marketing platforms and businesses that buy or sell ads on them.

Where it stands

HR 6335 was referred on December 1, 2025, to the House Committee on Ways and Means and the House Committee on Education and Workforce for consideration of provisions within their respective jurisdictions. This multiple referral places the measure at the start of the committee stage, where both committee chairs independently control whether to schedule a hearing or markup.

Defending Against Foreign Propaganda Act

Thomas H. Kean, Jr. (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill prohibits distributing advertisements funded by foreign governments or persons to consumers without disclosing the foreign source in audio, text, or video components. The Federal Trade Commission enforces these disclosures as unfair or deceptive acts. This bill requires advertising and public relations firms that disseminate advertisements paid for by foreign governments or foreign persons to include audio, text, or video disclosures of that foreign source, enforced by the FTC as unfair or deceptive acts.

Where it stands

The bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on November 7, 2025, and the committee held a hearing on July 22, 2026. No markup has occurred and no upcoming meetings are scheduled.

End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act

Jerrold Nadler (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would prohibit pharmaceutical companies from using direct-to-consumer advertising, including television, radio, print, digital, and social media, to promote prescription drugs. The ban would apply to all approved or licensed prescription medications thirty days after the measure is signed into law. This bill bans pharmaceutical companies from direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising across all media within thirty days, eliminating major pharma ad accounts that advertising and marketing agencies, especially health-care focused firms, rely on for revenue.

Where it stands

HR4605 was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on July 22, 2025, and is currently awaiting committee action with no meetings scheduled.

End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act

Bernard Sanders · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill would prohibit drug manufacturers from using direct-to-consumer advertising on television, radio, print, digital platforms, and social media to market prescription drugs. The ban would take effect 30 days after the act is signed into law and would apply to all approved and licensed prescription drugs regardless of when they were approved. This bill would ban prescription drug advertising in every medium, ending the direct-to-consumer pharma ad market that advertising agencies, marketing firms, and media sellers currently earn revenue from.

Where it stands

The bill was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on June 12, 2025 and remains in committee with no meetings scheduled.

Close the Revolving Door Act of 2025

Michael F. Bennet (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would impose a lifetime ban on former members of Congress lobbying their former colleagues, extend the lobbying cooling-off period for congressional staff from one to six years, and prohibit registered lobbyists and foreign agents from working for members or committees they previously lobbied for six years. Additionally, the measure would establish a searchable public database for lobbyist disclosures, require large lobbying firms to report their hiring of former senior congressional staff, and increase the maximum civil penalty for lobbying violations to $500,000. This bill hits lobbying and public relations firms directly by banning former members of Congress from lobbying for life, extending staff cooling-off periods to six years, requiring large firms to report former senior staff hires, and raising penalties to $500,000.

Where it stands

S1850 is currently in the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, having been read twice and referred on May 21, 2025. This stage means the committee chair controls whether the bill proceeds to a markup or remains idle.

AMERICA Act

Mike Lee (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would require large digital advertising firms with over $20 billion in revenue to divest specific businesses, such as separating ad exchanges from brokerages or preventing brokers from also buying or selling ad space. It would also impose strict transparency and fiduciary duties on firms with over $5 billion in digital ad revenue, requiring them to act in clients' best interests and disclose detailed transaction data. This bill directly regulates digital advertising exchanges and brokerages, requiring firms with over $20 billion in digital ad revenue to divest conflicting business lines and imposing fiduciary duties, transparency reports, and annual certifications on firms over $5 billion.

Where it stands

The AMERICA Act was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on March 13, 2025, where it remains stalled with no scheduled meetings or further action recorded. This status places the bill at the committee stage, the primary choke point where most measures stall or die without reaching a markup.

Recycled Materials Attribution Act of 2026

John R. Curtis (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would make it a federally enforceable unfair or deceptive practice, punishable by the Federal Trade Commission, for a person to advertise or sell a product to a consumer using a misleading recycled content claim or to market fuels as recycled content. It would also direct the FTC to recognize mass balance accounting, which lets manufacturers mix recycled and conventional feedstocks and allocate recycled content across products, as an acceptable way to back up recycled content claims when an independent third-party certification system verifies the accounting, and it would preempt state laws covering the same claims. This bill makes it a directly enforceable FTC offense for advertising and marketing agencies to create or run campaigns with misleading recycled content claims, while also allowing mass balance accounting to back such claims nationwide.

Where it stands

S5674 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on September 30, 2026, and it now sits with that committee. No hearing or markup is listed for it, so at this stage the bill has not advanced beyond referral.

Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act of 2026

Bernard Sanders · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill would require prominent health warning labels on the front of packages for sugar-sweetened beverages, foods with high-intensity sweeteners, ultra-processed foods, and items high in nutrients of concern. It would also make it unlawful to advertise these foods to children and mandate that any such advertisements display the required warning labels. This bill makes it unlawful for advertising agencies, PR firms, and media companies to produce, distribute, or run child-directed ads for junk food and sugar-sweetened products, and requires warning labels in any permitted advertising.

Where it stands

S5026 was reported by the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on July 28, 2026, and placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders with Calendar No. 531. The bill is currently awaiting floor consideration, as no further meetings are scheduled.

NO FAKES Act of 2026

Christopher A. Coons (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill establishes a federal property right allowing individuals to control the use of digital replicas of their voice and visual likeness, with post-mortem rights extending up to 70 years. It imposes liability on those who distribute unauthorized digital replicas or tools primarily designed to create them, while providing safe harbor protections for online services that comply with notice and takedown requirements. This bill treats advertising services and networks as online services eligible for safe harbor protection from liability over unauthorized digital replicas, provided they register a designated agent with the Copyright Office and follow notice and takedown rules.

Where it stands

The NO FAKES Act of 2026 was reported by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on June 24, 2026, and placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders as Calendar No. 446. This status means the committee has completed its work and the bill now awaits scheduling by the majority leader.

Robo COP Act

Virginia Foxx (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would require the Federal Trade Commission, within 180 days of enactment, to revise its do-not-call registry rules to prohibit politically-oriented prerecorded calls to phone numbers listed on the registry. Covered calls are recorded messages with no live person available that promote, advertise, campaign for, or solicit donations for or against a candidate or regarding a political issue, or whose recording includes a candidate's name. This bill directs the FTC to revise do-not-call rules to prohibit politically-oriented recorded telephone calls, directly burdening advertising, public relations, and political consulting firms that place such calls for campaigns.

Where it stands

HR10310, the Robo COP Act, was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on September 8, 2026, so it sits at the committee stage, the first and most common choke point in the House. Referral alone commits the committee to nothing, and no hearing or markup appears on the calendar.

Big Tech Accountability Act

James P. McGovern (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would create new federal crimes, carrying fines and up to 5 years in prison, for knowingly spreading materially false information about government services such as voting, public health, the census, and education, and up to 2 years for internet posts encouraging violence that are calculated to reach 500 or more viewers, with publishing entities, including print publishers, broadcasters, and social media platforms, facing the same liability when they knowingly disseminate such misinformation, use algorithmic targeting to spread it, or amplify violence-encouraging posts that are viewed 10,000 or more times. It would strip federal legal immunity from platforms that target content at individuals or profit from amplifying misinformation, violence, or disinformation, ban covered online platforms such as websites, apps, social networks, search engines, and advertising networks from targeting advertisements at individuals or specific groups on any basis, with civil penalties up to $50,000 per violation and private lawsuits awarding $100 to $5,000 per violation, and direct the Federal Trade Commission to recommend reforms restricting collection, aggregation, and sale of personal information without meaningful consent within 120 days of enactment. This bill directly burdens advertising agencies and ad networks by banning them and any vendors acting for platforms from targeting ads at individuals or groups, with civil penalties up to $50,000 per violation, and treats ad agencies as publishing entities liable for knowingly disseminating civic misinformation.

Where it stands

HR10300 was referred on September 4, 2026 to the Committee on the Judiciary and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker. The bill is at the earliest committee stage, where each panel decides whether to take it up at all.

Halt Abusive Internet Lawsuits Act of 2026

Russ Fulcher (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would shield the collection, processing, or disclosure of information for commercial purposes, including website tools like cookies, session replay, chatbots, and analytics, from any claims or enforcement actions under federal or state wiretapping, pen register, trap and trace, and eavesdropping laws, including the California Invasion of Privacy Act. It would also wipe out any such claims or enforcement actions already in progress on the date of enactment, so those pending cases could no longer be maintained, adjudicated, or arbitrated. This bill protects advertising and marketing firms from wiretapping and eavesdropping lawsuits over tracking tools like cookies, session replay, and analytics used for marketing, and wipes out pending claims against them.

Where it stands

HR10263 was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary on September 3, 2026 and now sits at committee stage, where the chair controls whether a hearing or markup is ever noticed, though committee action is not the only possible route to the floor.

AI Advertising Disclosure Act

Seth Magaziner (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill requires companies operating AI tools with more than 50,000 monthly active users to clearly disclose when their AI responses include sponsored content or are influenced by commercial arrangements. It prohibits AI systems from denying their artificial nature or commercial ties and establishes penalties for violations, including private lawsuits and state enforcement. This bill requires advertising and marketing firms running AI chatbots or generative search features with over 50,000 monthly users to disclose sponsored content, paid rankings, and commercial influence in AI answers, and to keep real-time registries of such arrangements.

Where it stands

HR 10146 was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on August 24, 2026, placing it at the initial committee stage. No upcoming meetings are scheduled in the calendar data for this measure.

Preventing Abuse of Digital Replicas Act

Darrell Issa (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

Living individuals who sue over unauthorized AI-generated digital replicas of their face, voice, or likeness used on goods or services would get a rebuttable presumption of consumer confusion, but only if they expressly invoke it in their lawsuit. Plaintiffs invoking that presumption could not bring other federal, state, or local claims over the same use, and the presumption would not apply to indirect liability claims, expressive works and their promotion, or uses protected by the First Amendment. This bill targets advertising and marketing firms that use digital replicas of individuals in promotions by creating a rebuttable presumption in court that such use is confusing or deceptive, raising their liability risk in campaigns.

Where it stands

The bill was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary on August 3, 2026 and sits at the committee stage, where a hearing is not required before a markup and a hearing would not commit the chair to anything. Nothing in the record shows a hearing, markup, or report yet, and no meetings are scheduled in our calendar data.

AI Ads Act

Adam B. Schiff (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would expand existing federal prohibitions on fraudulent campaign communications to explicitly include content created by artificial intelligence. It would also broaden the scope of these bans to cover misrepresentations by any person, not just candidates, and extend them to fictitious political organizations. This bill puts political advertising and public relations agencies at legal risk and higher compliance costs by expanding fraud bans to cover AI-generated campaign content, misrepresentations by any person, and fictitious political organizations.

Where it stands

The bill is in the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, having been read twice and referred on July 27, 2026. While committee action is the ordinary route, the bill may proceed to floor consideration through unanimous consent, discharge, or use as an amendment without a report.

Promoting Authenticity with Influencer Disclaimers Act

Adam B. Schiff (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal requires political committees to include clear and conspicuous disclaimers in online content they pay influencers to post, stating that the committee funded the communication. The rule applies to content posted on or after January 1, 2027, and mandates that committees notify recipients of this requirement when making payments. This bill requires advertising, PR, and digital marketing agencies that handle political committee payments to influencers to comply with mandatory paid-content disclaimers, adding tracking, disclosure, and contractual obligations starting January 1, 2027.

Where it stands

S5136 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration on July 27, 2026. The bill is currently in the committee stage, where a markup is the standard procedure for reporting, although unanimous consent or floor consideration as an amendment can bypass this step.

AI Transparency in Elections Act of 2026

Joseph D. Morelle (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would require political advertisements containing images, audio, or video substantially generated by artificial intelligence to include clear and conspicuous disclaimers stating that AI was used. It would establish civil penalties of up to $50,000 per communication for violations and direct the Federal Election Commission to issue regulations within 90 days of enactment. This bill requires advertising and public relations firms that create political ads using AI-generated images, audio, or video to verify AI use and add clear disclaimers, with civil penalties up to $50,000 per violation.

Where it stands

HR9922 was referred to the House Committee on House Administration on July 23, 2026, and is currently awaiting committee action with no scheduled meetings.

Digital Age Assurance Act of 2026

Andy Kim (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would require operating system providers to collect user age data and share age brackets with app developers, browser providers, and certain website operators to enforce age restrictions. It would also prohibit targeted advertising and data sales to users under 17 and ban anticompetitive practices in age verification systems. This bill makes it unlawful for advertising agencies and digital marketers to run targeted advertising to users under 17, removing their ability to target or monetize data from children.

Where it stands

The bill was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on July 22, 2026. No future meetings are currently scheduled in the calendar data.

Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act of 2025

Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would require prominent front-of-package warning labels on sugary drinks, foods containing non-sugar sweeteners, ultra-processed foods, and foods high in concern nutrients like added sugar, saturated fat, or sodium, with matching labels on vending machines, multipacks, and online listings, and it would make it unlawful to market or advertise such products to children through cartoons, influencers, toys, games, or media where children make up at least 30 percent of the audience, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission. It would also fund NIH nutrition research and public meetings, a CDC public education campaign, a National Academies study to define ultra-processed food, and regulation and enforcement of the labeling rules, with a total authorization of 75 million dollars per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030. This bill makes it unlawful for advertising agencies, PR firms, and influencers to produce or distribute child-directed marketing for sugary drinks, ultra-processed foods, and other labeled junk food, with the FTC enforcing the ban.

Where it stands

HR6294 was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on November 25, 2025, and no further action or meeting appears in the record. Under House practice, this referral stage is the common quiet resting point, where the committee chair alone decides whether a hearing or markup is ever noticed.

Lobbying Disclosure Improvement Act

Gary C. Peters (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would require lobbyists to state in their registration disclosures whether they are exempt from foreign agent registration requirements. The added disclosure applies to registrants under the existing Lobbying Disclosure Act. This bill requires lobbying and public relations firms that register under the Lobbying Disclosure Act to add a statement of their foreign agent exemption status to their filings, creating new tracking and reporting costs.

Where it stands

The Senate passed S. 865 without amendment on December 16, 2025, and the bill is now pending in the House, where it was held at the desk on December 17, 2025.

Lobbying Disclosure Improvement Act

Joe Neguse (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would require lobbyists to state in their registration filings whether they are exempt from registering as foreign agents under a specific federal law. The change adds a new disclosure item to the existing reporting requirements for registrants under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. This bill requires lobbying and public relations firms registered under the Lobbying Disclosure Act to add a new statement to their filings declaring whether they are exempt from registering as foreign agents, creating a fresh compliance task for their regular reporting.

Where it stands

HR 1887 was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary on March 5, 2025, and remains in committee with no upcoming meetings scheduled. The companion Senate bill S 865 has passed its chamber but is not enacted, while prior version HR 4041 was referred in 2023 and has not passed a chamber.

Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act

Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill requires lobbying registrants to disclose the names and addresses of any foreign government or political party that directs, plans, supervises, or controls their lobbying activities. The disclosure must be included in registration filings regardless of whether the foreign entity is the direct client. This bill requires lobbying firms in the advertising and marketing industry that register under the Lobbying Disclosure Act to disclose in their registration filings any foreign government or political party that directs, plans, supervises, or controls their lobbying activities.

Where it stands

The bill is referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary as of March 5, 2025, and is currently stalled with no scheduled meetings.

Fair Pay Act of 2026

Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to bar employers from paying workers in jobs dominated by one sex, race, or national origin less than what is paid for equivalent jobs dominated by other groups, with carve-outs for seniority, merit, production-based pay, and job-related factors the employer can prove are legitimate. It would also let workers recover compensatory and punitive damages and expert fees, protect employees who discuss their wages from retaliation, require covered employers with 25 or more employees (and 15 or more in later years) to file wage reports with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by race, sex, and national origin, extend the same rules to congressional and executive branch employees, and take effect one year after enactment.

Where it stands

HR8663 was referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce on May 4, 2026 and has had no further action. In the House, the referral stage is where most bills stall, since whether the bill ever gets a hearing or a markup is the committee chair's call, and no committee meetings appear in available calendar data.

PURE Executive Act

Ashley Hinson (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would extend the post-employment lobbying ban for former senior executive branch personnel from one or two years to five years. It would also prohibit these individuals from ever lobbying on behalf of foreign governments or entities controlled by them. This bill extends the post-employment lobbying ban to five years and permanently bars former senior executive officials from foreign lobbying, restricting lobbying and public relations firms that rely on hiring these departed officials to staff client work.

Where it stands

The bill was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary on April 28, 2026, and currently awaits committee action.

DISCLOSE Act of 2026

Chris Pappas (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would require corporations, labor organizations, and other entities spending more than $10,000 on campaign-related communications to disclose their beneficial owners and top funders to the Federal Election Commission. It also expands the ban on foreign money in elections to include ballot initiatives, digital advertisements, and disbursements related to Federal judicial nominations, while mandating that political ads include specific speaker identification statements. This bill requires advertising agencies and third-party ad serving companies that run political ads costing more than $10,000 to register as third-party advertising vendors, report their clients and funders to the FEC, and carry speaker identification statements in the ads they deliver.

Where it stands

HR7802 was referred on March 4, 2026, to the Committee on House Administration, the Committee on Ways and Means, and the Committee on the Judiciary. The source does not identify a primary committee, so the chairs of all three panels act as gatekeepers for further action.

DISCLOSE Act of 2026

Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill requires corporations, labor unions, and political groups spending over $10,000 on federal election or judicial nomination communications to publicly disclose their major donors and beneficial owners within 24 hours. It also mandates that political advertisements include specific disclaimers identifying the payer and their top funders, while expanding federal bans on foreign national spending to include online platforms and ballot initiatives. This bill directly burdens advertising agencies by defining them as third-party advertising vendors, requiring them to handle disclosure of election communications, report spending over $10,000 within 24 hours, and run ads with funder disclaimers.

Where it stands

S. 3991 was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration on March 4, 2026. No meetings are currently scheduled for this committee.

SCAM Act

Ruben Gallego (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would require online platforms that accept payment for advertisements to verify advertiser identities and implement fraud detection systems to prevent the display of deceptive commercial ads. The measure would grant the Federal Trade Commission, state attorneys general, and private individuals the authority to sue platforms that fail to follow these procedures, while explicitly removing certain liability protections for these specific violations. This bill requires advertising and marketing firms buying online or social media ads to provide legal identity and business documentation for platform verification before any paid ad runs, with 24-hour removal of ads flagged as deceptive, while legitimate advertisers gain by seeing fraudulent competitors screened out.

Where it stands

The SCAM Act was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on February 4, 2026, where it remains pending without any scheduled markup or hearing. The companion bill HR7548 was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on February 12, 2026, and has not advanced further.

One Fair Price Act of 2025

This is an omnibus proposal impacting several different industries, including Advertising & Marketing.

Ruben Gallego (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

It would make it illegal for businesses to charge different consumers different prices for the same or similar products based on personal data or surveillance information, with exceptions for cost-based differences and disclosed discounts. The Federal Trade Commission, state attorneys general, and individual consumers could enforce this ban through lawsuits that may result in damages and attorney fees. This bill applies to advertising and marketing firms as persons, barring them from charging different consumers different prices for similar services based on personal data, which could expose them to lawsuits by consumers and state officials.

Where it stands

S3387 is in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, having been read twice and referred there on December 8, 2025. The committee chair controls whether any hearing or markup occurs, though the bill remains blocked at this stage.

PAID OFF Act of 2025

August Pfluger (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would remove registration exemptions for agents of foreign principals owned or controlled by countries designated as concerns under the State Department Basic Authorities Act. It also establishes a process allowing the Secretary of State to propose changes to this list of countries, which would take effect only if Congress approves a joint resolution. This bill requires public relations and lobbying firms representing agents of foreign principals from designated countries to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act by removing their exemptions, adding new compliance costs.

Where it stands

HR6107 was referred on November 18, 2025, to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Rules for consideration of specific provisions. This multiple referral places the bill in the committee stage, where each named committee chair controls whether a hearing or markup is scheduled for the portions of the bill falling within their jurisdiction.

Federal Government Advertising Equity Accountability Act

Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill would require executive agencies to report their prior and estimated future spending on advertising contracts, specifically breaking down amounts paid to disadvantaged, women, and minority-owned businesses. The reporting requirements would apply to the federal budget submission for fiscal year 2027 and every year after that. This bill affects advertising firms that hold federal government contracts, requiring executive agencies to report in their budget submissions how much advertising spending goes to disadvantaged, women-owned, and minority-owned businesses.

Where it stands

HR5805 was referred to the House Committee on the Budget on October 21, 2025, and awaits committee action. The committee chair controls whether the measure proceeds to a hearing or markup, with no meetings currently scheduled.

AI Accountability and Personal Data Protection Act

Josh Hawley (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal creates a federal tort that allows individuals to sue companies for using their personal data or training AI models on it without specific, prior consent. The measure mandates that violators pay treble profits or a minimum of $1,000 per violation, plus attorney fees, and prohibits the use of arbitration clauses to block these lawsuits. This bill exposes advertising and marketing firms to class-action lawsuits with treble profits or $1,000 minimum damages per person for using behavioral data like browsing and purchase history without prior consent, and bars them from blocking such suits with arbitration clauses.

Where it stands

S2367 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on July 21, 2025. The bill is currently stalled in committee with no upcoming meetings scheduled.

Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act of 2025

Pete Sessions (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill establishes federal standards requiring employers, public entities, and public accommodations to ensure their websites and applications are accessible to individuals with disabilities, while authorizing $35.15 million annually for enforcement and small business grants. It creates civil liability for non-compliance and mandates that the Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issue specific accessibility regulations.

Where it stands

HR3417 is stalled following its May 14, 2025 referral to the House Committee on Education and Workforce and the House Committee on the Judiciary. The bill currently awaits action from these committees, where the chairs control whether any hearings or markups are scheduled.

DTC Act of 2025

Richard J. Durbin (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This legislation would require pharmaceutical companies to disclose the wholesale acquisition cost of their prescription drugs and biological products in direct-to-consumer advertisements if the drug is covered by Medicare or Medicaid. Manufacturers must update these advertisements when prices change, and those who fail to comply could face civil money penalties of up to $100,000 per violation. This bill requires advertising and marketing firms that produce direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical ads to include wholesale acquisition cost disclosures for Medicare or Medicaid covered drugs and update ads when prices change, since noncompliance penalties reach the manufacturer's agents.

Where it stands

S229 is in the Committee on Finance following its referral on January 23, 2025. The committee chair controls whether to schedule a hearing or markup, with no meetings currently scheduled.

Turn It Down Act

Stephanie I. Bice (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would direct the Federal Communications Commission to create regulations requiring internet-delivered video ads to meet volume limits similar to those for traditional TV and cable. These rules would apply to programming comparable to broadcast television but would exclude consumer-generated content. This bill requires advertising agencies and their clients to produce internet-delivered video ads that meet broadcast-style volume limits, forcing agencies to ensure the commercials they create and place on streaming platforms comply with new FCC rules.

Where it stands

The bill is referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce as of February 2, 2026. The committee chair controls whether the measure receives a hearing or a markup, or if it remains dormant.

Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act

Tim Walberg (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would expand the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act to cover teens under the age of 17, make it unlawful to collect, use, disclose, or maintain children's or teens' personal information for individual-specific targeted advertising, and add biometric data, geolocation, photos, videos, and voice recordings to the types of information protected. It would also give parents and teens new rights to delete, correct, and access collected data, require reasonable security practices, direct the Federal Trade Commission to study a shared parental-consent mechanism and report on enforcement and on large social media companies' practices, and preempt state laws that relate to the Act's provisions. This bill makes it unlawful for advertising agencies to collect or use children's and teens' personal information to target them with individual-specific ads, pushing firms toward contextual advertising and other practices that avoid personal data.

Where it stands

HR6291 was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on November 25, 2025 and referred to its Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, which held a hearing on December 2, 2025 and then, at a markup on December 11, 2025, voted 14-10 to forward the bill to the full committee. The full committee held a further markup on March 5, 2026, but no recorded action on the bill has followed it.

AI Ads Act

Ro Khanna (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would expand federal election laws to treat any person, not just candidates, who fraudulently misrepresents a campaign or solicits funds using artificial intelligence as violating the law. It also broadens the prohibition to include misrepresentations involving fictitious political committees or organizations for any purpose, rather than only damaging ones. This bill exposes advertising and digital marketing firms to legal liability when AI-generated ads they create are used to fraudulently impersonate political campaigns or fictitious committees or to solicit funds, raising compliance costs.

Where it stands

HR9985 is currently before the House Committee on House Administration following its referral on July 30, 2026. The companion measure S5135 was referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration on July 27, 2026.

People-First Chatbot Act

Valerie P. Foushee (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would set privacy and safety rules for companies that make AI chatbots, banning them from selling users' chat logs, using chats to target ads, training their models on users' data without consent, keeping logs more than 5 years, or processing the chats or personal data of users known to be under 18 without parental consent, while requiring a written data security program, monthly risk assessments, and clear notices that users are talking to a machine rather than a human. It would also require any business using a chatbot in customer service to say so and immediately transfer consumers on request to a human operator physically located in the United States, with enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission, state attorneys general, and private lawsuits carrying statutory damages of up to $10,000 per violation and at least $50,000 for violations involving harmful design features for users under 18, rising to $100,000 or $250,000 where such use causes emotional dependence or serious harms like death or a psychiatric emergency, respectively. This bill bars using chatbot chat logs to decide which advertisements to show users, restricting targeted advertising practices for advertising and marketing firms that rely on chatbot data.

Where it stands

The People-First Chatbot Act (H.R. 9619) was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on July 9, 2026 and is at the start of the committee stage, with no hearing or markup scheduled in available data. The Energy and Commerce chair decides whether a hearing or markup is ever noticed, though committee action is not an absolute prerequisite and other paths could still exist.

Spot the Fakes Act

Josh Gottheimer (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill requires owners and controllers of AI-generated content to label that content as AI-generated using metadata or other technological means for indelible verification. The Federal Trade Commission would enforce this labeling requirement as an unfair or deceptive practice and would establish the specific disclosure methods within six months of enactment. This bill requires advertising and public relations agencies that own or control AI-generated ad content they create for clients to label it as AI-generated in metadata, enforced by the FTC as an unfair or deceptive practice.

Where it stands

The bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on July 2, 2026, and remains in the committee stage with no scheduled hearings or markups.

Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act

Edward J. Markey (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This measure would extend federal online privacy protections to include teenagers aged 13 to 17 and explicitly cover mobile applications and connected devices. It would prohibit operators from using personal information from children and teens for targeted advertising and require them to obtain verifiable consent from parents or teens before collecting such data. This bill restricts advertising agencies and public relations firms by banning targeted, individual-specific advertising using children's and teens' personal data and requiring parental or teen consent before collecting it.

Where it stands

The Senate passed S. 836 with amendments on March 5, 2026, and the measure is now pending in the House where it is held at the desk.

Promoting Authenticity with Influencer Disclaimers Act

Mark Takano (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would require any political committee that pays a person to post content on a website or digital app to make sure that post clearly and conspicuously discloses it was paid for by the committee, with exceptions for content on the committee's own site and for ordinary staff posts unless posting is the employee's main job. It would take effect for communications on or after January 1, 2027, and would direct the Federal Election Commission to issue regulations carrying it out by that same date. This bill requires advertising, PR, and digital marketing firms that help political committees pay influencers to post online content to build and verify clear disclaimers naming who funded each post starting January 1, 2027.

Where it stands

HR9110 was referred to the House Committee on House Administration on June 2, 2026 and sits at the referred stage, which is the House's most common point of quiet death. No markup has been noticed and no meetings appear on the calendar, so the immediate question is whether the House Administration chair schedules any committee action, though suspension, a special rule, or discharge remain possible bypasses.

BLAST Act

Rick Scott (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would make it a crime, punishable under existing penalties law, for any former Senator, House Member, or elected officer of Congress to register as a lobbyist or knowingly make lobbying-type communications to Congress at any time after leaving office, with no cooling-off waiting period. It would also broaden the legal definition of a lobbyist so former Members count as lobbyists whenever a client pays them for lobbying services, even ones that do not involve direct contacts, and the ban would apply only to officials who leave office after the bill is enacted. This bill permanently bars former members of Congress from lobbying, reducing the supply of ex-lawmaker talent that lobbying firms, including advertising and public relations shops offering government relations work to clients, can hire and sell to clients.

Where it stands

S4524, the BLAST Act, was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on May 13, 2026. It now sits at the committee stage, where the committee is under no obligation to act and most bills go no further.

SOUL Act of 2026

Andy Biggs (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would grant U.S. citizens exclusive federal rights to control the commercial use of their name, image, voice, and biometric data, including AI-generated replicas, for the duration of their lives plus 50 years. It establishes civil penalties ranging from $750 to $150,000 per violation for unauthorized digital replicas while preempting existing state laws that provide similar likeness protections. This bill makes advertising and public relations firms that create or use digital replicas of real people liable for unauthorized synthetic media, with damages up to $150,000 per violation and duties to remove flagged content.

Where it stands

The SOUL Act of 2026 was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary on April 16, 2026, where the chair controls whether a hearing or markup occurs. Silence from the committee chair is a common path for legislation to lapse without further action.

Youth Substance Use Prevention and Awareness Act

Derek Tran (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill would allow federal crime control grants to be used for creating and running public service announcement campaigns aimed at preventing youth substance use. It would also require the Attorney General to publish annual reports detailing these grants, the research behind the campaigns, and their effectiveness. This bill opens federal crime control grants for youth substance use prevention public service announcement campaigns, giving advertising, public relations, and media production firms new paid work creating and running television, radio, print, and digital campaigns.

Where it stands

The bill was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary on December 18, 2025, and no meetings are scheduled for the measure. The companion Senate bill remains in the Judiciary Committee without reported action.

Protecting Kids from Gun Marketing Act

Edward J. Markey (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal requires the Federal Trade Commission to create rules within one year that ban gun manufacturers, dealers, and importers from advertising firearms to minors in ways designed to appeal to them. It allows state attorneys general and private individuals to sue violators for damages and legal fees, treating such advertising as an unfair or deceptive business practice. This bill directs the FTC to ban firearm manufacturers, dealers, and importers, including their advertising agents, from marketing guns to minors, exposing advertising agencies that create or place such ads to lawsuits and forcing them to refuse those campaigns.

Where it stands

S2154 was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on June 24, 2025, where it remains pending without scheduled meetings. The prior version S252 was also referred to the same committee in 2023 and was not reported.

No Handouts for Drug Advertisements Act

Josh Hawley (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would prohibit pharmaceutical companies and drug outsourcing facilities from deducting expenses for direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs from their federal taxes. The ban covers ads on television, radio, digital platforms, and other media targeted at the general public, while excluding advertisements placed in professional journals. This bill disallows drug companies' tax deductions for direct-to-consumer prescription drug ads on television, radio, digital, direct mail, and billboards, cutting advertising spending and demand for ad agencies, broadcasters, and PR firms serving pharma clients.

Where it stands

S. 1785 is currently referred to the Senate Committee on Finance following its May 15, 2025, double reading and referral. The bill is stalled at this committee stage, which is the most common point of stagnation as the chair decides whether to schedule further action.