H.R. 6105: Restricting Ex-Vetted Officials from Knowledge Exploitation Act

This bill, known as the Restricting Ex-Vetted Officials from Knowledge Exploitation Act or the REVOKE Act, proposes specific changes regarding the security clearances of certain individuals associated with the Department of Defense (DoD). The primary objectives of the bill are as follows:

Security Clearance Revocation

The bill mandates that the Secretary of Defense must suspend or revoke security clearances for certain individuals if they engage in specified lobbying activities. These individuals include:

• Retired or separated members of the Armed Forces.
• Civilian employees of the Department of Defense.

Activities Leading to Revocation

The activities that would trigger the revocation of security clearances include lobbying for or on behalf of entities that fall under two categories:

• Entities identified in the most recent report by the Secretary of Defense as a Chinese military company.
• Entities listed in the Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List published by the Department of the Treasury.

Exception to the Revocation Rule

The Secretary of Defense is given the authority to waive the revocation of security clearance on a case-by-case basis for a period not exceeding 180 days. However, this waiver can only be granted if the Secretary certifies that it is in the national security interest of the United States.

Definitions Used in the Bill

To clarify the terms in the bill, it includes specific definitions:

• Congressional defense committees: Refers to the committees in Congress responsible for defense-related matters.
• Lobbying activities: Defined according to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, which outlines what constitutes lobbying.
• Lobbying contact: Also defined according to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, with certain clarifications provided in the bill.

Summary of Legislative Process

The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on November 18, 2025, by Mr. Pfluger and is currently referred to the Committee on Armed Services for further consideration.

Relevant Companies

• None found