Honest Leadership and Open Government
The culture of corruption practiced under the Republican controlled Congress was an affront to the idea of a representative democracy, and its consequences were devastating: a complex and costly prescription drug bill written by the pharmaceutical industry, an energy policy written by the oil industry, and record deficits to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy few.
In November of 2006, the American people spoke clearly for change in the way business is done in Washington. They demanded not just high ethical standards, but also transparency, disclosure, and accountability to make these standards effective.
Led by our newest Members, House Democrats have acted to make this Congress the most honest and open Congress in history. On the first day of the 110th Congress, we passed a landmark rules package that broke the link between lobbyists and legislators: no gifts, no private jets, and no meals from lobbyists.
The House took a significant step forward by shining sunlight on the interaction between lobbyists and legislators by passing the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act which provides an unprecedented level of disclosure – both in quantity and quality – on the interactions between lobbyists and legislators. It doubles the level of reporting by lobbyists from two to four times a year. It expands the categories of reporting by lobbyists; it closes a loophole in current law that permits coalitions such as the one that funded the so-called ‘Harry and Louise’ health care ads to avoid disclosing their clients; and it requires lobbyists to disclose past executive and congressional employment. It provides additional measures to end the infamous K Street project. It increases criminal and civil penalties for violations of the Lobbying Disclosure Act.
Lobbyists also have to certify that they did not give a gift or provide travel in violation of the rules of this House or the Senate. All of this information will be made available, in a searchable form, on the Internet, along with Member travel and personal financial disclosure records. Finally, in an improvement over current law, the legislation also requires members of Congress to immediately disclose any negotiations with future employers to the ethics committee, and to recuse themselves from any matters that might impact that employer and to make such recusal public.
Honest leadership is not a partisan goal. It is the key to a stronger union. We must all work together to put the progress of all Americans ahead of the special interests of the few. With honest leadership and open government, America’s leaders can once again focus on the urgent needs of the American people: real security overseas and at home, economic strength and educational excellence, affordable health care, energy independence, and retirement security.
On July 31, 2007, the House passed H.R. 2316/S.1, the final House-Senate agreement on the Honest Leadership, Open Government Act. Learn more about the final legislation>>
On September 15, 2007, the President signed this legislation into law.