Restrictions on Lobbying the Government: Current Policy and Proposed Changes

"During the 2016 presidential campaign, President-elect Donald Trump proposed a series of ethics measures, including several lobbying-related provisions. They are:

 extending "cooling off" periods on lobbying the government for five years after government   service;
 "instituting a five-year ban on lobbying by former Members of Congress and their staffs";

 expanding the definition of a lobbyist to cover former government officials who engage in strategic consulting;

and issuing a "lifetime ban against senior executive branch officials lobbying on behalf of a foreign government."

President-elect Trump's ethics plan shares some features with past efforts to restrict Administration officials' future lobbying activities (the "revolving door") by adjusting "cooling off" periods—a period of time a former government official is restricted from contacting their former employer on particular matters they might have worked on in government. These previous efforts include a 1993 executive order issued by President Bill Clinton (E.O. 12834) and a 2009 executive order issued by President Barack Obama (E.O. 13490), and the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (HLOGA) of 2007. The executive orders supplemented existing statutory revolving door and "cooling off" period requirements..."
Lobbying

Lobbying the Executive Branch: Current Practices and Options for Change
"...This report outlines the development of registration requirements for lobbyists engaging
executive branch officials since 1995. It also summarizes steps taken by the Obama
Administration to limit and monitor lobbying of the executive branch; discusses the development
and implementation of restrictions placed on lobbying for Recovery Act and EESA funds;
examines the Obama Administration’s decision to stop appointing lobbyists to federal advisory
bodies and committees; considers third-party criticism of current executive branch lobbying
policies; and provides options for possible modifications in current lobbying laws and practices..."