Congress Delivers on Lobbying and Ethics Reform!

[Demeter]

http://citizen.typepad.com/watchdog_blog/2007/08/congress-delive.html


Finally – real ethics reform passed in Congress! Yesterday the Senate approved S. 1 – the “Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007” – with a veto-proof majority of 83 to 14. On Tuesday, the House also passed the bill with flying colors by 411 to 8.

This terrific legislation will give the public important new information about the cozy relationships between industry lobbyists and members of Congress, and limit the outrageous gifts and travel junkets that laid the groundwork for the culture of corruption on Capitol Hill.

Today marks the final chapter of a long struggle. We first kicked off the drive to fix Capitol Hill over three years ago. Back then, our “wish list” of reforms was largely ignored by members of Congress and the media – even laughed at as a political impossibility. Then Jack Abramoff’s world – and that of many prominent members of Congress – started to unravel.

As the investigations into kickbacks and bribes became indictments, our call for reform – and the increased public disgust with Washington – became more and more difficult to ignore. When Abramoff worked out a plea deal in January 2006 to name those whom he bribed to the FBI, you’d have thought the gig was up. But the leadership of the 109th Congress burrowed into the warm sand like ostriches and ignored the need for reform. In return for their indifference, the voters changed up the Congress in 2006, citing corruption as a top concern.

But institutional change is hard even for a Congress elected on a promise to “end the culture of corruption.” As the bill moved forward, the “K Street” crowd lobbied hard, warning members not to bite the hands that keep lawmakers fat and happy. Public Citizen’s activists did not back down, sending thousands of faxes, emails and making hundreds of call to the Hill to tell Congress it must see this through.

The final legislation includes a large number of new lobbying laws and ethics rules that will open the books on the often corrupting nexus between lobbyists, money and lawmakers. It also imposes a series of new ethics restrictions to keep Congress more honest and open.

Here are some of the hard-won reforms that we all won together:

ARTICLE LISTS THE MAJOR POINTS OF THE BILL

[Ian David]

1. It doesn't do enough, but it's a start. n/t

[presspeal]

2. But what exactly are these rules?

Anything less then complete and consistent discloser is worthless.