22 U.S.C. § 615 — Books and records

Page 314 TITLE 22—FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE § 615 § 615. Books and records Every agent of a foreign principal registered under this subchapter shall keep and preserve while he is an agent of a foreign principal such books of account and other records with respect to all his activities, the disclosure of which is required under the provisions of this subchapter, in accordance with such business and account- ing practices, as the Attorney General, having due regard for the national security and the pub- lic interest, may by regulation prescribe as nec- essary or appropriate for the enforcement of the provisions of this subchapter and shall preserve the same for a period of three years following the termination of such status. Until regula- tions are in effect under this section every agent of a foreign principal shall keep books of ac- count and shall preserve all written records with respect to his activities. Such books and records shall be open at all reasonable times to the in- spection of any official charged with the en- forcement of this subchapter. It shall be unlaw- ful for any person willfully to conceal, destroy, obliterate, mutilate, or falsify, or to attempt to conceal, destroy, obliterate, mutilate, or falsify, or to cause to be concealed, destroyed, obliter- ated, mutilated, or falsified, any books or records required to be kept under the provisions of this section. (June 8, 1938, ch. 327, § 5, 52 Stat. 633; Apr. 29, 1942, ch. 263, § 1, 56 Stat. 256; Pub. L. 89–486, § 5, July 4, 1966, 80 Stat. 247.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS Prior to general amendment of act June 8, 1938, by act Apr. 29, 1942, section related to penalties. Provi- sions on that subject were incorporated in section 618 of this title by 1942 amendment. AMENDMENTS 1966—Pub. L. 89–486 inserted ‘‘in accordance with such business and accounting practices,’’ after ‘‘under the provisions of this subchapter,’’. 1942—Act Apr. 29, 1942, amended section generally. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1966 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 89–486 effective ninety days after July 4, 1966, see section 9 of Pub. L. 89–486, set out as a note under section 611 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1942 AMENDMENT Amendment by act Apr. 29, 1942, effective on the six- tieth day after Apr. 29, 1942, except that prior to such sixtieth day the Attorney General may make, pre- scribe, amend, and rescind such rules, regulations, and forms as may be necessary to carry out act Apr. 29, 1942, see section 3 of act Apr. 29, 1942, set out as a note under section 611 of this title. § 616. Public examination of official records; transmittal of records and information (a) Permanent copy of statement; inspection; withdrawal The Attorney General shall retain in perma- nent form one copy of all registration state- ments furnished under this subchapter, and the same shall be public records and open to public examination and inspection at such reasonable hours, under such regulations, as the Attorney General may prescribe, and copies of the same shall be furnished to every applicant at such reasonable fee as the Attorney General may pre- scribe. The Attorney General may withdraw from public examination the registration state- ment and other statements of any agent of a for- eign principal whose activities have ceased to be of a character which requires registration under the provisions of this subchapter. (b) Secretary of State The Attorney General shall, promptly upon re- ceipt, transmit one copy of every registration statement filed hereunder and one copy of every amendment or supplement thereto filed here- under, to the Secretary of State for such com- ment and use as the Secretary of State may de- termine to be appropriate from the point of view of the foreign relations of the United States. Failure of the Attorney General so to transmit such copy shall not be a bar to prosecution under this subchapter. (c) Executive departments and agencies; Con- gressional committees The Attorney General is authorized to furnish to departments and agencies in the executive branch and committees of the Congress such in- formation obtained by him in the administra- tion of this subchapter, including the names of registrants under this subchapter, copies of reg- istration statements, or parts thereof, or other documents or information filed under this sub- chapter, as may be appropriate in the light of the purposes of this subchapter. (d) Public database of registration statements and updates (1) In general The Attorney General shall maintain, and make available to the public over the Inter- net, without a fee or other access charge, in a searchable, sortable, and downloadable man- ner, to the extent technically practicable, an electronic database that— (A) includes the information contained in registration statements and updates filed under this subchapter; and (B) is searchable and sortable, at a min- imum, by each of the categories of informa- tion described in section 612(a) of this title. (2) Accountability The Attorney General shall make each reg- istration statement and update filed in elec- tronic form pursuant to section 612(g) of this title available for public inspection over the Internet as soon as technically practicable after the registration statement or update is filed. (June 8, 1938, ch. 327, § 6, 52 Stat. 633; Apr. 29, 1942, ch. 263, § 1, 56 Stat. 256; Pub. L. 89–486, § 6, July 4, 1966, 80 Stat. 247; Pub. L. 104–65, § 9(7), Dec. 19, 1995, 109 Stat. 700; Pub. L. 110–81, title II, § 212(b), Sept. 14, 2007, 121 Stat. 749.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS Prior to general amendment of act June 8, 1938, by act Apr. 29, 1942, section related to rules and regula-