Lobbying Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006

LOBBYING ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2006 -- (House of Representatives - May 03, 2006)

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Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, who do our Republican friends believe they are fooling today with this so-called lobbying ``reform'' bill?

I submit: not a soul. Certainly not the American people and certainly not editorial writers who have examined this legislation.

The San Antonio New Express called the Republican bill ``a disgraceful sham.''

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel calls it ``miserable.''

The Philadelphia Inquirer says, ``The House is just playing pretend.''

The New York Times calls it ``an Orwellian shell of righteous platitudes about transparency and integrity.''

And public interest groups have derided this Republican bill as a ``complete joke,'' ``a total scam,'' and ``phony.''

Let no one here be mistaken: this bill is not driven by a desire to address the most serious lobbying and ethics scandal this body has experienced in a generation. I have said before, and I repeat: the failure of ethics and honesty have been of conduct, not of rules. But rules can both inform of expectations and propriety.

The greed and flagrant abuses of convicted felons, former Republican Member Duke Cunningham and Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff, hang over this House like a dark cloud.

The K Street Project, proudly promoted by Mr. DeLay and Senator Santorum and the Republican leadership, in which quid pro quo was the blatantly articulated standard of conduct, is the most flagrant example of the aptly named ``culture of corruption.''

This empty shell of a bill is driven by one thing: the majority's cynical calculation that it will not pay a price with voters this November for failing to take meaningful steps to end this culture of corruption.

The chairman of the Rules Committee was quoted as saying that the adoption of the reform package ``would get this,'' meaning the repeated instances of rules violations and criminal conduct, ``behind us.''

The adoption of this bill or any bill will not do that. Only honest, ethical, principled behavior over a period of time will do that. But a strong reform package would have been a start. Sadly, that has not been an option before us today.

It does not diminish our moral responsibility, however, to demand and ensure ethical and honest behavior by all of us, not an endless political game of cross claims and allegations, but by an Ethics Committee that does not shun its responsibilities and sit moribund in the face of scandal after scandal. The people expect more of us. We should give it to them.

It may be fitting that this do-less-than-the-do-nothing Congress of 1948 Republican Congress is forcing Members to vote on this do-almost-nothing bill.

The American people see right through this ruse.

And they deserve better.

Lobbyists must be required to act honestly and ethically. But, it is Members who have sworn an oath before God and our fellow citizens to uphold the laws and protect the Constitution.

It is Members who bear the direct responsibility for the honest administration of the people's business. This Congress is not meeting that responsibility.

It is clear, Mr. Speaker, that the Republican leadership does not want a real debate on these issues.

Democrats offered a much stronger alternative, but the majority refused to allow it to be considered.

So much for openness, transparency and democracy.

I urge my colleagues: Vote against this Republican ruse.

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