Statement by Reform Groups on Action of Senate Homeland Security, Lobbying

[PhilipShore]

U.S. Newswire (press release)
Statement by Reform Groups on Action of Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Reform Committee on Ethics and Lobbying Reform
3/2/2006

To: National Desk

Contact: Elenia Saloutsi of Democracy 21, 202-429-2008 or [e-mail]

WASHINGTON, March 2 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following groups issued the statement below: the Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, Democracy 21, the League of Women Voters, Public Citizen and U.S. PIRG.

In rejecting the Collins-Lieberman proposal to create an Office of Public Integrity in Congress, a majority of the Senators on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Reform Committee voted today to ignore the deep concerns of the American people about the corruption and lobbying scandals in Congress.

Instead the Committee majority voted to maintain the status quo in Congress and to preserve a congressional ethics enforcement process that is completely discredited in the eyes of the American people.

Citizens are aware of the Jack Abramoff scandals in Congress. Citizens are also aware that there is no public evidence that the Senate Ethics Committee and the House Ethics Committee have conducted any investigation into these corruption scandals.

We strongly applaud Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT) for the outstanding leadership they have provided in their efforts to deal with the most important ethics problem facing Congress, the breakdown of the system for enforcing the congressional ethics rules.

Similarly, we strongly applaud Senator Barak Obama (D-IL) for the outstanding leadership he has provided on the most important ethics problem in Congress in proposing the creation of a Congressional Ethics Enforcement Commission.

Enclosed is a list of the Senators on the Committee and how they voted today.

Senators who voted to kill the Office of Public Integrity in Congress provided a grave disservice to their constituents, to the American people and to the Senate as an institution.

Earlier this week the Senate Rules Committee also reported out legislation addressing changes in ethics rules, mostly relying on disclosure.

While the bills reported out of these two Committees make some improvements in current laws governing lobby disclosure and revolving door, they fail to put an end to the serious abuses in Congress that were illustrated by the Abramoff scandals.

The corruption and lobbying scandals in Washington cannot be addressed simply by increased disclosure; prohibitions are needed to address the abuses associated with privately-funded travel, the use of company planes by members of Congress at deeply discounted costs, the gaping loophole in the gift rules to allow lobbyists and others to pay for lavish parties to ''honor'' a Member and other financial benefits provided by lobbyists to Members.

A month ago our groups set forth six benchmarks for lobbying reform: breaking the nexus between lobbyists, money and lawmakers; preventing private interests from financing travel for members of Congress and their staff; banning gifts to Members and staff; establishing an office of public integrity; slowing the revolving door and; placing sunshine on lobbying activities and financial disclosure reports.

A look in particular at the bill reported by the Senate Rules Committee, which has jurisdiction over the rules for travel, gifts, company planes and related financial favor issues, shows a bill with fundamental shortcomings that must be corrected on the Senate floor.

The American people are way ahead of Congress in recognizing the need for fundamental changes in the way lobbyists function with Members in Washington.

Strong medicine is required to deal with the lobbying scandals in Washington. What we got this week is a placebo.

Our organizations will support various floor amendments next week, when these bills come to the Senate floor, in order to help ensure that the American people are provided real reforms.

The public is not going to be fooled by or accept cosmetic changes.

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Votes of Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

Voted to Support Office of Public Integrity:

Senator Collins (R-ME)

Senator Lieberman (D-CT)

Senator Carper (D-DE)

Senator Lautenberg (D-NJ)

Senator Levin (D-MI)

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Voted to Oppose Office of Public Integrity:

Senator Akaka (D-HI)

Senator Bennett (R-UT)

Senator Chafee (R-RI)

Senator Coburn (R-OK)

Senator Coleman (R-MN)

Senator Dayton (D-MN)

Senator Domenici (R-NM)

Senator Pryor (D-AR)

Senator Stevens (R-AK)

Senator Voinovich (R-OH)

Senator Warner (R-VA)

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