Democratic senators have introduced legislation that would increase the Justice Department’s authority to punish people who violate foreign lobbying laws.

The Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) requires individuals working on behalf of a foreign government or official to register with the Justice Department within 10 days of signing a contract.

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The law has come under the microscope after high-profile figures tied to President Trump retroactively registered as foreign agents: Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign chairman, and Michael Flynn, the president’s former national security adviser.

“When lobbyists hide their relationships with foreign governments, it is not just a conflict of interest — it is dangerous to our national security,” Duckworth said in a statement.

The first time a person files FARA paperwork late, DOJ would be able to levy fines of at least $2,500. The amount doubles for the second offense.

“These former Trump staffers, like countless other lobbyists, failed to disclose their status as foreign agents and they should face the consequences instead of being allowed to continue to operate with impunity.”

The registration laws on foreign lobbying are routinely flouted, according to Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, who testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week.

Between 2013 and 2015, more than 60 percent of foreign agents did not file on time and nearly 47 percent did not provide other required disclosures, he said.

"The American people deserve to know about deep-rooted, deep-pocketed dealings between American citizens and foreign governments – and they deserve to make their own judgements about foreign lobbyists like Paul Manafort or Michael Flynn before they have the chance to influence U.S. government policy," Blumenthal said in a statement.

In addition to fines, the legislation from Senate Democrats would create even more requirements for foreign agents.

While foreign agents must now disclose specific contacts they've made inside and outside of government for their client — and disclose any materials they have given them — the newly introduced legislation would require that the also disclose the dates of the meetings and who was given the materials.

The FARA unit is within the National Security Division of the DOJ. It does not have the power to subpoena anyone it suspects may not be following the law and mostly relies on media reports or tips from other agencies. This legislation would not give it that authority.

Although violating FARA is a felony, there have only been seven criminal prosecutions since 1966, and additional, severe charges were also attached. The DOJ operates on voluntary compliance, which means that a person can evade trouble if they file paperwork — even if it’s late.

Foreign lobbying requirements are much stricter than those under the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA), the domestic lobbying law. Foreign agents must post contracts with clients and file updates every six months detailing contacts with the press, government officials and individuals at nonprofits and think tanks, for example.

The registration requirements also extend beyond lobbying work to include consulting and public relations services. Also, to be considered a foreign agent, a person doesn’t need to be paid directly by a government. If a client is “influenced” by a foreign government, politician or political party, a registration is often required.

Lawmakers in both chambers are looking for ways to reform FARA.

On Wednesday , Horowitz cited filing fees, implemented in 1993, as contributing to the drop in foreign agent registrations

— This post was updated at 4:24 p.m.