(Washington D.C.)- In the midst of the Republican culture of corruption encapsulating Congress, U.S. Rep. Sander Levin (D-Royal Oak) today opposed the watered-down GOP lobbying bill, H.R. 4975 - the Lobbying Accountability and Transparency Act, which passed 217 to 213. Levin instead supported the Democratic reform plan, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, which he was a cosponsor. In what has become a standard abuse of House Rules, Democrats were denied the opportunity to debate a number of substantive amendments seeking to improve and strengthen many components of the GOP bill, including elements of the Democratic reform proposal. Levin slammed passage of the GOP bill by stating that it was reform in name only and merely a smoke and mirror tactic by the Republican Majority. 

"The American people are losing their faith in the integrity of Congress," said U.S. Rep. Levin. "Today we had a real opportunity to curb the influence of the special interests and lobbyists.  This watered-down attempt at actual reform falls far short of what we need to do to restore confidence in the legislative process. This bill is reform in name only."
 
The Republican bill fails to sever the links between Members of Congress and special interests.  Specifically it: 
-- fails to slow the revolving door between congressional service and lobbying;
-- fails to require disclosure of Members contacts with lobbyists and of lobbyists? fundraisers and other events that honor Members;
-- postpones adoption of a clear policy regarding special interests and lobbyist-sponsored private travel;
-- fails to crack down on pay-to-play schemes, like the "K Street Project;"
-- includes loophole-laden earmark provisions that would not have exposed the Alaskan "Bridge to Nowhere" and does nothing prohibit "Dead of Night" Special Interest provisions.

"This is simply a smoke screen by Members of the Majority to delay real reform and continues business as usual," concluded Levin.

The Washington Post has called it "a watered-down sham that would provide little in the way of accountability or transparency." "Congress still doesn't get it," said USA Today. The New York Times writes "It's hard to believe that members of Congress mindful of voters' diminishing respect would attempt such an election-year con." And the Houston Chronicle asks "How many more members of Congress, their aides and lobbyists have to be convicted of fraud, bribery and abuse of voters' trust before legislators get the message that the public is serious about ethics reform?"  

Democrats were restricted by the Republican leadership from offering a real plan for lobbying reform. The Democratic reform plan, Honest Leadership and Open Government Act:
-- permanently bans travel from lobbyists and organizations that retain or employ them; prohibit lobbyists from funding, arranging, planning, or participating in congressional travel. 
-- creates a new and separate Office of Public Integrity, whose officials would be authorized to investigate charges and refer violations to the Justice Department as well as the House Ethics Committee.
-- bans Members from receiving gifts or meals from lobbyists and organizations that retain or employ them.
-- permanently ban Members from using corporate owned or privately owned jets for official travel.
-- requires disclosure of grassroots lobbying activities (where the general public is encouraged to influence specific policymakers; currently there are no grassroots lobbying disclosure requirements)
-- extends the current 1-year waiting period before Members of Congress and senior Government employees can make lobbying contacts with Congress to two years
-- prohibits secret insertions of legislation after House-Senate conference committees finish formal work, prevent unlimited time for members to vote, and give members more time to study legislation before it is considered by the House.

The Senate, in a vote of 90 to 8, passed lobbying reform legislation at the end of March. The Senate legislation would stop lobbyists from paying directly for meals and gifts for lawmakers, make it easier to identify and strip earmarks, and require more detailed disclosure of privately financed trips and on donations to federal candidates, officeholders and political parties.

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