One-year restriction on any former senior or very senior employee's representations on behalf of, or aid or advice to, a foreign entity.
5 C.F.R. § 2641.206
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01(a) Basic prohibition of 18 U.S.C. 207(f). For one year after service in a senior or very senior employee position terminates, no former senior employee or former very senior employee shall knowingly represent a foreign government or foreign political party before an officer or employee of an agency or department of the United States, or aid or advise such a foreign entity, with the intent to influence a decision of such officer or employee. For purposes of describing persons who may not be contacted with the intent to influence, under 18 U.S.C. 207(f) and this section, the phrase “officer or employee” includes the President, the Vice President, and Members of Congress, and the term “department” includes the legislative branch of government.
(b) Exceptions and waivers. The prohibition of 18 U.S.C. 207(f) does not apply to a former senior or former very senior employee who is:
(1) Acting on behalf of the United States. See § 2641.301(a). (Note, however, the limitation in § 2641.301(a)(2)(ii).)
(2) Acting as an elected State or local government official. See § 2641.301(b).
(3) Testifying under oath. See § 2641.301(f).
(4) Acting on behalf of an international organization pursuant to a waiver. See § 2641.301(h).
(5) Acting as an employee of a Government-owned, contractor-operated entity pursuant to a waiver. See § 2641.301(i).
(6) Subject to a waiver issued for certain positions. See § 2641.301(j).
(c) Commencement and length of restriction—(1)Generally. Except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, 18 U.S.C. 207(f) is a one-year restriction. The one-year period is measured from the date when an employee ceases to be a senior or very senior employee, not from the termination of Government service, unless the two occur simultaneously. See examples 1 and 2 to paragraph (d) of § 2641.204.
(2) U.S. Trade Representative or Deputy U.S. Trade Representative.18 U.S.C. 207(f) is a permanent restriction as applied to a former U.S. Trade Representative or Deputy U.S. Trade Representative.
(d) Represent, aid, or advise. [Reserved]
(e) With the intent to influence. [Reserved]
(f) Decision of employee of an agency. [Reserved]
(g) Foreign entity. [Reserved]
Source: eCFRURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-5.xmlFetched: 7/26/2026