Warren, Kim bill requires nat sec nominees to disclose foreign government work

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sen.-elect Andy Kim (D-N.J.) are joining forces on a bill that would require several presidential nominees working on national security issues to publicly disclose past work for foreign governments.

The bill, introduced in both chambers Thursday, would require Senate-confirmed leaders at the Departments of Defense, State, and Treasury, as well as leaders of all 18 intelligence agencies, to publicly share whether they’ve done any work for a foreign government entity or political party.

 “The American people shouldn’t have to worry that high-ranking government officials are in the pocket of a foreign government,” Warren said in a statement to The Hill. 

“This bill will guarantee the public and Congress can consider a nominee’s potential loyalties before their confirmation.”

The legislation comes as President-elect Trump has already announced a series of nominees to fill his Cabinet, with the Senate taking up vetting early next year.

While nominees are often asked to respond to questionnaires that delve into past work experience, those responses don’t always reach all members of a committee nor are they routinely shared with the public.

Reporting from The Washington Post indicates that in some cases, nominees have failed to disclose work for foreign governments.

Former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis did not reveal a consulting job with the United Arab Emirates when he was nominated to lead the Pentagon in 2017. 

Mattis did not list the gig on his financial disclosure forms and, though he did acknowledge it on forms with the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Post reported that information did not reach multiple members of the panel.

While the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) requires the disclosure of any lobbying for a foreign government, the legislation would cover a broader range of activity.

Under Warren and Kim’s legislation, nominees would have to disclose any foreign government work, while the department they are nominated to lead would be required to post the disclosure on their website.

“At a time when trust in government is at historic lows, we need to be taking steps to show the American people they can have faith that their government officials are working to serve their interests first,” said Kim, who is finishing his term as a representative and will be introducing the bill in the House.

“This bill would help prioritize transparency in the confirmation process, mitigate foreign influence, and bolster people’s confidence in presidential nominees as they seek to represent our country’s national security interests.”