Yesterday, after months of working towards ethics reform, Senate Democrats received a victory when a Senate panel approved measures that signifies a first step cleaning up Washington:"A U.S. Senate panel, under pressure to respond to scandals, approved a measure that would force lawmakers to disclose details about privately funded trips and make it harder for them to insert pet projects into legislation.
The Rules Committee unanimously approved the measure -- the Senate's first step toward overhauling lobbying rules -- and the bill will be merged with legislation scheduled for a vote Thursday by the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee. Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee said he will bring the combined legislation to the Senate floor next week.
Congress is seeking to rein in lobbyists' influence amid the scandal involving Jack Abramoff and the resignation of Republican Representative Randy Cunningham, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy and tax evasion in connection with bribes over defense contracts.
``Our reputations are at stake,'' said Senator Daniel Inouye, a Hawaii Democrat. ``The used-car salesman is about one notch above us.''
Abramoff pleaded guilty Jan. 3 to conspiracy to corrupt public officials and is cooperating with investigators.
In the House of Representatives, Majority Leader John Boehner, an Ohio Republican, said Republican leaders are considering a one-year ban on privately funded travel. That could put off the issue until after the November elections.
Opposition From Republicans
House Speaker Dennis Hastert's earlier call for an outright ban on such travel ran into opposition from fellow Republicans, including Boehner. The House Rules Committee has scheduled a hearing Thursday on lobbying rules -- more than a month after Committee Chairman David Dreier had initially said he would propose legislation.
The Senate Rules Committee legislation would allow any lawmaker to object to an earmark, which is a specific provision inserted by a member that benefits a particular company, locality or state. It would take 60 votes to override an objection. Further, all earmarks would have to be disclosed at least 24 hours before the measure is considered.
Lawmakers often add earmarks at the last minute to spending bills, without any public debate, when the legislation is being negotiated between the Senate and House. The sponsors of the earmarks neither have to identify themselves nor the reason for the allocations.
Cunningham's Earmarks
Cunningham, as a member of the House subcommittee that approved all Pentagon spending, used earmarks to help steer work to MZM Inc., whose former owner pleaded guilty on Feb. 24 to bribing the ex-lawmaker.
The Senate Rules Committee measure would also require all privately funded travel to be approved in advance by the Senate Ethics Committee; prevent former senators-turned-lobbyists from going onto the Senate floor; and require full disclosure of all travel on corporate jets, including everyone who is on the trip. "
"The committee also approved an amendment offered by Illinois Democrat Richard Durbin to prevent senators from pressuring lobbying firms to hire people from one political party. Durbin said he was referring to the ``K Street Project,'' a decade-long Republican effort to get lobbying firms to hire Republicans and to contribute to Republican candidates and causes."
Now that the Senate has acted, the House must do the same.
However, I seriously doubt that will happen considering John Boehner is now the House Majority Leader. He has already made it clear he was against ethics reform and his ties to lobbyists just further ensure that reform will not happen while he is at the helm.
The House Republicans should be ashamed of themselves.
The House should follow Congressman Ford's lead in calling for ethics reform.
It is time to restore the American people's trust in government.
Read about John Boehner's views opposing ethics reform here!
Read about John Boehner's broken promises regarding ethics reform here!
Read about Congressman Ford's actions on ethics reform here! (1 , 2, 3)
