Lobbying and ethics reform have been big topics in Congress, with the American public understandably demanding that their elected representatives take action to right some of the wrongs that have made headlines this year.
That process is ongoing. Like many issues in politics, partisan sniping and political calculations have characterized much of the debate so far. But the committee I chair, the Government Reform Committee, recently reached unanimous consensus on a wide range of important initiatives — changes we believe will strengthen our government and help restore the public trust in our government leaders.
Our committee adopted two pieces of legislation. The first, based on legislation I crafted, would take away government pensions for any member of Congress, congressional staffer or political appointee who is convicted of a crime in which they abused their office. This includes, but is not limited to, such crimes as bribery, embezzlement, illegally seeking outside compensation and conspiracy to defraud the United States.
A publicly funded pension is a great benefit. It should not go to people who have brought shame and distrust to their government or used their office to enrich themselves. This should be a no-brainer.
The second bill, which I co-sponsored with Henry Waxman, D-Calif., the leading Democrat on the committee, addresses how political appointees and other key executive branch employees interact with lobbyists, potential future employers and others. Called the “Executive Branch Reform Act,” the legislation will bring new transparency to the way key government personnel operate.
Specifically, the legislation would:
• Require executive branch officials to disclose to the Office of Government Ethics on a quarterly basis any significant contacts with private parties relating to official government action, and require OGE to maintain a publicly accessible database of this information;
• Prohibit high-ranking executive branch officials from interacting in an official matter with an organization with whom they are pursuing prospective employment unless a waiver is granted;
• Double the current one-year restriction against former federal procurement officers accepting compensation from a federal contractor with which they worked while federal employees;
• Prohibit federal employees from spending federal funds on propaganda within the United States that is not authorized by law;
• Require the full disclosure of government sponsorship of communications;
• Provide new protections for government whistle-blowers who are national security personnel; and
• End the use of “pseudo” classifications, such as “sensitive but classified,” in order to promote open government.
Together, these pieces of legislation will help renew public trust in government and restore openness to the way members of Congress, congressional staff, political appointees and other key executive branch employees do their jobs. They represent real reform — ethics reform with teeth — rather than just platitudes and promises.
Listen to what some good-government groups have said about the reform:
• “We would hope that any government reform package Congress approves would include these provisions at the very least. After all, a government made by the people and for the people must also remain open and accountable to the people” — Danielle Bryan, executive director, Project On Government Oversight.
• “Without a doubt, the Government Reform Committee lived up to its name today. This vote is a historic bipartisan mandate to end third-class status for whistleblowers in the national security agencies” —Tom Devine, legal director, Government Accountability Project.
• “The House Government Reform Committee is sending a strong message that agencies cannot randomly attach designations, but must justify these types of restrictions on disclosure of information” — John Sturn, president and CEO, Newspaper Association of America.
It was gratifying that the two bills were approved by my committee without a single dissenting vote. Hopefully, we can use this momentum to convince other members of Congress from both sides of the political aisle to unite behind a strong, bipartisan package of reforms.
After all, that is what the American people want — and it is what they deserve.
Congressman Tom Davis, R-Va., is chairman of the House Government Reform Committee.
