Congressional lobby reform aims at disclosure
The US House clears a bill that lifts the curtain on contacts between lobbyists, lawmakers.
from the August 1, 2007 edition
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"Americans are fed up with special interest earmarks that have been at the center of recent scandals," says Sen. Jim DeMint (R) of South Carolina, who blocked moves to a conference on lobby and ethics reform until he had assurances from Senate majority leader Harry Reid that strong earmark provisions would remain in the final bill. "It is ironic that Senator Reid has seen fit to rewrite a bill in secret that is supposed to provide transparency and sunlight. I'm especially disappointed in Speaker Pelosi, who started this debate with strong rhetoric for earmark disclosure. She completely yielded to Reid and pressure from lobbyists," he said in a statement.
Some public interest groups are backing Senator DeMint in what they see as a lively floor fight in the Senate, expected on Thursday. "The taxpayers' worst fears have been realized. Prototypical of Washington backroom deals, House and Senate Democrats have conjured up a deal that benefits only the powerful appropriators and the special interests that game the system at the expense of average Americans," said Tom Schatz, president of the Council of Citizens Against Government Waste.
But many other open-government groups praise the legislation for moving reform further than it has gone in any previous Congress.
"If you compare where we were in 2006, it's a giant step forward. It could have been two giant steps forward," says Bill Allison, senior fellow for the Sunlight Foundation, a public interest group that promotes transparency in government.
A key provision that was dropped in the final version of this bill would have made lists of congressional earmarks available on a searchable database. The new version makes that requirement only "if technically feasible."
"This is something Amazon.com does every day with its eyes closed," says Mr. Allison. "We're still going to be in a situation where public interest groups are going to have to get earmarks in a form that's usable. Congress should have done this itself and didn't."
Congress's proposed lobby and ethics reform
Here are key provisions of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, which cleared the House of Representatives on Tuesday:
• Requires that all member-directed spending, or earmarks, be identified on the Internet at least 48 hours before a vote, in a searchable form "if feasible."
• Requires a lawmaker to certify that the principle purpose of an earmark is not "to further only his pecuniary interest" or that of his immediate family.
• Requires campaign committees to report "bundled" contributions for each lobbyist who has forwarded or been credited with contributions exceeding $15,000 in each reporting period.
• Bans gifts to members of Congress and staff from lobbyists and their clients, including free meals and tickets to events.
• Bars House members from accepting free trips on private planes. Requires that senators and presidential candidates pay charter rates when using corporate or private planes.
• Requires that lobbyists report campaign contributions four times a year – up from two – and that these reports be made available on the Internet.
• Bars former senators from lobbying the Congress for two years after they leave office, up from one year. Retains a one-year ban for House members.
• Strips pensions and other retirement benefits from lawmakers convicted of bribery, perjury, or similar crimes.
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