WASHINGTON – The House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to make lawmakers disclose more details of their efforts to fund pet projects and raise money from lobbyists, responding to a rash of recent scandals.
The Democratic-drafted legislation followed cases that sent two GOP lawmakers and a big-time lobbyist to prison and saw a House Democrat charged with bribery.
Senate leaders hope to give it final passage this week, even as the chamber’s most senior Republican faces questions about Monday’s federal raid of his home as part of a bribery probe in Alaska.
The bill, which the House passed 411-8, would require lawmakers to disclose those lobbyists who raise $15,000 or more for them within a six-month period by “bundling” donations from many people. The requirement would cover party-affiliated campaign committees as well.
Lawmakers would be barred from accepting gifts, including meals and tickets, from lobbyists and their clients.
Senators seeking targeted spending projects, or “earmarks,” would have to publicize their plans 48 hours before the Senate votes on the proposals. They would have to certify that they and their families would not directly benefit financially.
The House made similar changes to its rules governing earmarks in January.
Self-styled watchdog groups noted that the bill was less stringent in some respects than were earlier versions. But they hailed it as a major leap by an institution generally loathe to police itself.
“These are big-time fundamental reforms that will end the secrecy surrounding the multiple ways in which Washington lobbyists use money to curry favor and gain access and influence with members of Congress,” said Fred Wertheimer, president of the nonprofit group Democracy21.
Common Cause said the bill “should change the way business is done in Washington by shining the light on the often mutually dependent relationships between lobbyists and members of Congress.”
The bill would require former senators and top aides to wait two years before directly lobbying Congress. Ex-House members would have to wait one year. An earlier Senate version would have banned all lobbying activities for two years, not just direct contacts with lawmakers.
The bill would require senators, and candidates for the Senate or White House, to pay charter rates for trips on private planes. House members and candidates would be barred from accepting trips on private planes.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., predicted the Senate will pass the bill this week.
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