NYT: House G.O.P. Considers Ban on Lobby-Paid Travel

[kskiska]

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10 - House Republicans assembling a package of proposed changes in lobbying rules are contemplating a ban on all travel underwritten by outside groups, the lawmaker who is leading the effort said Tuesday.

The lawmaker, Representative David Dreier of California, chairman of the Rules Committee, said Speaker J. Dennis Hastert has endorsed the idea of prohibiting members of Congress and their aides from accepting trips not paid for out of Congressional budgets.

"The plan is to be really bold and strong here," said Mr. Dreier, who said he discussed a potential overhaul of lobbying rules Tuesday with Senator John McCain, the Arizona Republican who has introduced his own plan in the Senate.

(snip)

A ban on privately financed travel is likely to be unpopular with many lawmakers as well as a variety of special-interest groups that arrange and pay for trips around the globe for lawmakers and senior aides as a way to foster relationships and educate them on their issues of interest. Registered lobbyists are prohibited from paying for such travel.

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/11/politics/11cong.html

[Botany]

1. Anbody want to get that barn door?

[JNelson6563]

7. That was my first thought too!

Oy.

[Maggie_May]

2. Not enough!

Do they really think that their paid trips by there whores (really to good of a word for them.) are going to make any difference.

[bluestateguy]

3. Let's obey and enforce the laws we have on the books now.,mk?

Though if I was a congressman, I would refuse to meet with any lobbyists.

[northzax]

4. good plan, actually. should have been done years ago

I can't buy my congressman dinner worth more than $50, but I can send him to the Caymans for a week. go figure.

Three reforms:

1: eliminate all gifts from registered lobbyists, including travel.
2: list all contacts with lobbyists (since they are registered, it's easy to do) with the Member and his/her staff.
3: eliminate the use of travel and stipends from non-profit groups as well.

[michreject]

9. They have to give a 5 minute lecture

in order to justify the trip.

This should have been done looooooooooooong ago.

[hughee99]

5. I'm not necessarily sure this will make things better...

The money will find a way to the politicians one way or another. The NAACP, Sierra Club, UAW, the ACLU, Greenpeace etc. have lobbyists. It can be an effective way to get information from constituents or constituent groups. In some (clearly not all) cases, lobbyist groups pay for travel to show politicians what is going on somewhere. If congressmen had to pay for all their travel, many of them would miss seeing a lot of things firsthand. How many in congress would pay to go to ANWR, see the damage logging has done first hand, visit auto plants, etc... if they had a limited travel budget? Certainly, better restraints need to be placed on this (and enforced), but IMHO this is a over-reaction by the repukes in an attempt to cover their asses.

[Eric J in MN]

12. They should get the money from the federal budget, pay themselves,

or not go.

These trips are more corrupting than beneficial otherwise.

[radfringe]

6. ahh - House Makeover

begins with Window Dressing....

maybe some nice shrubs for curb appeal?

[Toots]

8. Registered lobbyists are prohibited from paying for such travel

By this last sentence it seems like it is already illegal..

[LeftHander]

10. Trips book from now until 2008 are not banned -

I can see what kind of ban they will do.

Trips booked and those in planning until 2008, trips for congressional buisness, fact finding, etc will be okay. Lobbyists will lobby against the ban...take congressmen on golf trips to sway vote.

[leesa]

11. Typical...trying to pretend this wasn't already against the rules.

[Eric J in MN]

13. There are currently exceptions if the trip is supposedly educational

or charitable.

There should no exceptions.