H.R. 4682, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act: Democrats Lead the Nation on Lobbying Reform

H.R. 4682, THE HONEST LEADERSHIP AND OPEN GOVERNMENT ACT: DEMOCRATS LEAD THE NATION ON LOBBYING REFORM -- (Extensions of Remarks - March 02, 2006)

SPEECH OF
HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY
OF ILLINOIS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2006

* Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, our country was established as a government `of the people, by the people, and for the people.' The Republican majority has turned it into a government of, by, and for a few of the people. We need to address the Republican culture of corruption and lead the charge to restore honor and dignity to the House of Representatives. America can do better. The American public deserves better.

* Mr. Abramoff and his associates have clearly broken the law. It takes two to tango. I believe Republican Members of Congress who put America up for sale should also be held accountable for their corrupt dealings and "pay for play" politics that put special interests first at the expense of the priorities of the American people.

* Americans pay when lobbyists are granted special access in the legislative process and democratic procedures are abandoned on the floor of the House. Americans pay for the cost of corruption in many ways: a prescription drug bill that puts the greed of pharmaceutical companies ahead of the need of senior citizens for affordable prescription drugs; energy legislation that gives tax breaks and subsidies to oil companies while Americans pay record prices at the pump and for home-heating; and a waiver of liability so that vaccine manufacturers can profit while Americans can be hurt.

* To end this culture of corruption and restore integrity and openness to the House, Democratic Leader Pelosi and my Democratic colleagues have introduced the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act that will eliminate the K Street Project that trades legislative access for Republican-only employment, stop the revolving door between government and lobbyists, end the "dead of night" special interest provisions, prohibit cronyism in key appointments, and eliminate contracting abuses like those benefiting Halliburton. I support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to enact and vigorously enforce needed reforms.

* I am, however, concerned with the proposal to ban all privately-funded congressional travel without making a distinction between social or recreational trips and educational travel. Travel that includes lobbyists funding lawmakers to go to luxurious resorts for golf trips is abuse of House rules, and I believe we need to put an end to it.

* But fact-finding trips on the other hand are an important way to educate members of Congress about issues. Banning them would make it harder for Members to get real-world understanding of matters that arise on Capitol Hill. I want to make sure that nonprofit organizations, whether they undertake no lobbying or devote a very small percentage of their budgets to lobbying, are not precluded from taking members on these trips because of this bill. I look forward to working with my colleagues on this issue.

* The intention of our Founding Fathers was for Congress to be a marketplace of ideas. Democrats are leading the effort to once again put power where it belongs--in the hands of the American people. I look forward to enacting real reform that addresses serious ethical abuses, increases the transparency and openness of government, and enforces the rules and laws already on the books.

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