Durbin, Democrats Announce Honest Leadership and Open Government Act
DURBIN, DEMOCRATS ANNOUNCE HONEST LEADERSHIP AND OPEN GOVERNMENT ACT
Saying that the Federal government belongs to the American people and not to highly-paid lobbyists representing special interests, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and more than 70 other Democrats to announce an aggressive new ethics and lobbying reform proposal.
"Democrats are coming forward with specific proposals, not vague notions, to restore honesty and integrity to Congress. It is a real reform initiative that addresses the abuses of power the American people have witnessed in the past ten years," Durbin said. "Our reforms are aimed directly at the need for accountability in our government."
The Democratic bill, known as the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act will increase accountability; enforce and strengthen ethics and lobbying rules; impose strict new limits on gifts and travel; and close the revolving door between Congress and K Street - to stop people at the highest levels of government from cashing in on government service.
Specifically, the bill will:
# ban all gifts and travel from lobbyists;
# increase transparency on lobbyists by requiring additional disclosure;
# shut down "pay-to-play" schemes like the "K Street Project," where lobbyists contributed to Republican campaigns in exchange for a chance to set the agenda;
# prevent "dead of night" provisions in legislation and require conference committee meetings to be open to the public.
"Powerful corporate special interests have controlled the agenda and the American people have paid the real price - hundreds of billions of dollars to Big Oil, HMOs, drug companies and special interest tax breaks. Democrats believe that the American people should be able to turn to their representatives in government when they need help and not to the highest paid lobbyists. We have a real opportunity and a responsibility to end the stranglehold of special interest on the Federal government. We intend to do just that," Durbin said.
The legislation will also create an Office of Public Integrity to investigate lobbyist disclosures and suspicious activity and will put in place new criminal penalties for lobbyists who attempt to cover-up unethical behavior similar to those committed by lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Yesterday, Durbin announced that his Senate office will voluntarily comply with the provisions in the Democratic legislation, including the gift and privately funded travel ban.
http://durbin.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=250510&&