First Look: The Senate's Lobbying Reform Proposals
ShareLate last fall, Sen. Bill Frist tapped Sen. Rick Santorum to conceive a package of lobbying reform legislation. Santorum and Frist, according to a leadership aide familiar with the proposals, are considering a raft of changes. Many could change the culture of the Senate.
Items specific to lobbying and lobbyists include:
A ban on all Congressional travel financed by private entities and a clear-cut gift ban, including tickets to sporting events and to the opera. The Senate would not allow spouses and relatives of lawmakers to lobby the chamber. It would also criminalize certain lobbying violations. Floor privileges for former members who lobby would be revoked. And the chamber would institute clearer conflict of interest rules for members and staff as they negotiate job offers outside the Senate.
Procedurally, Frist and Santorum are considering two changes. One would add transparency to the process by which a member puts a "hold" on a political appointee. It would not, however, force the "holder" into the open although it could limit the amount of a time a hold could be perpetuated.
Ear marks added to spending bills would be subject to heightened scrutiny and lawmakers who add them would be forced to justify their existence to their colleagues.
A leadership aide said that Frist hopes to bring this package to the floor by the end of February and hopes that it will be seen as complimentary to reforms proposed by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). [MARC AMBINDER]
Advertisement
Join the Discussion