Issues
Government Reform Gift Ban
When I was elected to the U.S. Senate,
I brought the Wisconsin Code of Ethics for Public Officials
and Employees with me to Washington. The Wisconsin Code lays
down a very simple no gifts policy that my staff and I abided
by in the State Senate, and continue to abide by today in
the U.S. Senate.
When I began serving in the U.S. Senate, the gift rules of
the United States Senate were very lenient and I’ve been fighting
to reform them ever since. In 1995, I led an effort to reform
the Senate gift rules to at least end the days of unlimited
gifts. But I was determined to keep pushing for an all-out
ban on gifts from lobbyists who were taking advantage of loopholes
in the law.
Finally, in 2007, Congress passed and the president signed
the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (HLOGA), which
contained a strong gift ban based on lobbying and ethics reform
legislation I originally crafted. It prohibits lobbyists and
organizations that employ or retain lobbyists from giving
gifts to members of Congress and their staffs, including free
meals and tickets.
The HLOGA also includes a ban on members paying reduced rates
for the use of corporate jets. Before HLOGA, members of Congress
enjoyed the luxury of being able to fly on corporate jets
while only having to pay the equivalent of the cost of a commercial
first class ticket. Now, senators, Senate campaigns, and presidential
campaigns must reimburse for the use of corporate jets at
the charter rate rather than the commercial first class rate.
House members are prohibited from flying on corporate jets.
Privately funded travel is also limited under the new law.
HLOGA limits privately funded travel, paid for by groups that
lobby, to one-day events with minimal lobbyist involvement.
Only organizations that do not employ or retain lobbyists
can pay for multi-day trips. The HLOGA requires pre-approval
by the Senate Ethics Committee for all privately funded Senate
travel, and all travel reports are publicly disclosed on the
Internet.
Gift
Ban
Revolving
Door
Related: Deficit
Reduction - Congressional Pay Raise
Related: Campaign
Finance Reform
Government
Reform Main
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