House and Senate Democrats on Monday came to an agreement on a comprehensive lobbying and ethics bill that aims to reform the way Congress and lobbyist do business, but some Republicans may try to block passage because they think the bill does not go far enough to clean up the system.
The House is expected to take up the bill today and the Senate will consider an identical version later in the week.
For Democrats, passage of the bill would help counter the impression that they’re presiding over a do-nothing Congress. Lobbying reform was a major part of their 2006 campaign platform and efforts to pass it earlier were stymied by internal disputes over bill language.
Among the key provisions in the bill is one that would require semiannual disclosure of multiple campaign contributions “bundled” by lobbyists and given to elected officials and candidates.
Under the legislation, lawmakers convicted of certain crimes, such as bribery, would lose their pensions.
The bill would also require the identification of all legislative earmarks – money designated for special projects typically in a lawmaker’s district – 48 hours before the Senate votes on the bill. The bill would also require the Senator sponsoring the earmark to be identified. A similar rule already exists in the House.
“The American people asked us in November to fix the way business gets done in Washington, and Democrats are heeding that call,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said. “We are fighting to enact the most sweeping ethics and lobbying reform in history so we can deliver to the American people a government as good and honest as the people it represents.”
Republican Congressional leaders had no immediate reaction to the bill but are largely expected to support the measure. The bill is based on legislation introduced earlier this year that was co-sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
But Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., will try to block the bill with a procedural vote that will require the support of 67 senators in order to proceed with consideration.
DeMint is unhappy that Democrats removed language that would have made it possible for Senators to strike certain earmarks from legislation on the Senate floor.
“Ethics reform without serious earmark reform is nothing but an empty promise and does nothing to reform business as usual in Washington,” a DeMint aide said.
