Senate Democrats are working on a stepped-up version of their ethics reform bill, incorporating tough new initiatives pushed by Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) that could evolve into what the chamber’s majority leader on Monday called “the most sweeping reforms since Watergate.”
Fielding calls from fellow Democrats to toughen proposals already on the table, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he is working on stricter rules to ban gifts from lobbyists, including free travel, and to wipe out the practice of divvying up pork barrel federal funding in secret.
Democratic leaders said they are not sure if their revised plan would include the most controversial measures–limits on the use of corporate jets by members of Congress and creation of an independent panel to investigate ethics complaints–as the strictest reformers would like.
But Obama and Feingold said they are encouraged that Senate Democratic leaders are open to stiffening the original plan–introduced last week by Senate Democratic and GOP leaders–and allowing debate on the more controversial proposals.
“Americans put their faith in us this time around as Democrats because they want us to restore their faith in government,” Obama said, as he, Feingold and Reid announced they were working with other Democratic senators to strengthen the measure. “That means more than just window dressing.”
Feingold and Obama unveiled their lengthy wish list Monday alongside Reid and most of the new Democratic senators, who credit their recent elections at least in part to a desire for change in the way business is done in Washington. The last Congress suffered a series of corruption scandals, reaching their peak with lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s guilty plea to conspiring to bribe public officials. Despite that, lawmakers failed to enact a new ethics bill–a “very pathetic showing,” in the words of one watchdog group.
Now, as they begin the second week of their leadership of Congress, Democrats have made ethics reform their first order of business. The House last week passed a set of ethics reforms.
Loopholes might be lurking
Government watchdogs acknowledge there may be loopholes within the various working legislative drafts, which could mean, for instance, that some restrictions on registered lobbyists don’t universally apply even though an interest group may have a stake in a particular congressional action.
Still, the fact that Senate Democrats were talking about adopting at least some of the Feingold-Obama proposals inspired some optimism.
“The bill that Feingold and Obama announced is the strongest ethics and lobbying reform legislation to date,” said Fred Wertheimer, president of the reform group Democracy 21. “It’s comprehensive and far-reaching and it would bring about basic changes in the way lobbyists conduct their business in Congress. . . . It’s the gold standard in the Senate, to which everything that comes along is going to be compared.”
The proposal by Feingold and Obama aims to slow the “revolving door” between the worlds of government and lobbying. Under the plan, former lawmakers and senior executive branch officials, including Cabinet members and agency heads, would not be allowed to engage in lobbying activities for at least two years, doubling the current waiting period.
The proposal also calls for creation of an Office of Public Integrity, which would carry out independent investigations of ethics complaints. Some lawmakers fear such a panel would be used for political purposes to embarrass opponents.
But Feingold and Obama said it is a critical part of their plan. They also support a controversial provision requiring senators and their re-election campaigns to reimburse corporations for the use of jets at the charter rate rather than at the much-lower first-class airfare rate, as is now required.
More revisions ahead
Last week, Reid and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) introduced an ethics plan they said would clean up business in Washington. On Monday, Reid said he was working to improve the bill, using many of Feingold and Obama’s ideas. That proposal will also be open to other amendments, he said.
An aide to McConnell said the Republican leader is consulting with Reid on possible changes.
Reid said he hopes to introduce revisions as early as Tuesday and to vote as soon as Friday.
“At the end of the day, the Senate will pass the most sweeping reforms since Watergate,” Reid said. “I feel good about this. I think there’s so much more we can do to bring a better tone to Washington.”
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cparsons@tribune.com
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Reform in Congress
Ethics reforms passed by the House:
– Gifts: Bans gifts and meals
– Travel: Bans travel planned or paid for by lobbyists or organizations that employ them and use of corporate jets
– Earmarks: Earmarks must be fully disclosed before members are asked to vote on them
Proposals by Sens. Obama and Feingold:
– Gifts: Would ban gifts and meals from lobbyists or employers of lobbyists
– Travel: Would curb privately funded travel and put limits on corporate jet use
– Earmarks: Limits on earmarks
— Tribune news services
