CONGRESS PASSES LANDMARK LOBBYING REFORM BILL
WASHINGTON, DC Following through on one of the Democrats top six pledges for early congressional action this year, the House of Representatives today approved the toughest ethics and lobby reform legislation since the Watergate era. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), a long-time advocate of open government, lobbying reform, and campaign finance reform, voted for the landmark bill.
With the Senate expected to approve an identical version of the bill later this week, passage of this bill signals a significant achievement by Congress since Democrats were elected to the majority in November.
This bill will take Congress in a new direction toward honest leadership and open government, said Miller. It is a big step toward ending the culture of corruption in Washington that understandably fueled voter anger at 12 years of Republican rule in Congress.
The lobby reform bill, called the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, was approved 411 to 8 and makes a number of significant reforms affecting Members of Congress, Senators and lobbyists.
The measure will:
Make it easier for the public to know about campaign contributions from lobbyists to lawmakers.
Require lawmakers to disclose when a lobbyist helps them to raise $15,000 or more in a six-month period in campaign contributions, an action known as bundling.
End the K-Street Project,î started by then-Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX), by prohibiting private organizations and associations from making hiring and firing decisions based on partisan affiliations.
Enhance public awareness of lawmakers travel and finances by establishing an online searchable database of lawmaker travel and personal financial disclosure forms.
Require current lawmakers to disclose job negotiations for post-congressional employment
Ban Senators and their senior staff from lobbying their colleagues for two years after leaving office.
Prohibit any official contact between a lobbyist who is the spouse of a lawmaker and that lawmakerís staff on behalf of the spouse-lobbyistís clients.
Prohibit lawmakers from attending parties at national political convention held in their name that are paid for by lobbyists or their clients.
Increase criminal and civil penalties for violating the Lobby Disclosure Act to $200,000 and five years in prison for willful and knowing violations of the act.
Democrats began the 110th Congress by passing a very tough set of ethics rules to break the link between lobbyists and legislators by prohibiting gifts from lobbyists and other taking other steps. By passing this bill today weíve fulfilled our promise to the American people to set new clear rules intended to put the interests of average Americans before those of powerful special interests, said Miller. ìThis is not the end of the road for reform in Washington, but it is a very strong bill and one that I am proud of, and I look forward to the changes that it will help us to make on behalf of the American people.
Click here for more information on the bill.
Posted by JTH-Staff at July 31, 07 08:52 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
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