Meaningful Lobbying Reform

I believe in strong lobbying reforms and am hopeful that as Congress considers stricter controls on Washington lobbyists, members will be resolute in their efforts to make the reforms meaningful and decisive.

If Congress is to regain the trust of the American people, there must be no ambiguity in reforms regulating the way in which lobbyists influence decision makers on Capitol Hill. I strongly believe we must construct clear-cut boundaries that leave no doubt that a member is working in the best interest of their constituents and not on behalf of the Washington establishment.

Lobbying reform efforts I support include:

• Eliminate earmarks, a practice in which an individual Member of Congress can add last minute language to a bill that requires money to be spent on a specific program. This will ensure legitimate appropriations will be fully vetted to ensure tax dollars are spent on legitimate "governmental purpose" and not "pork barrel" projects.
  
  
• Require privately funded travel be pre-approved by the House Committee on Standards and Official Conduct. The panel would have to disapprove trips financed by lobbyists or undertaken for any reason other than civic-minded education.
  
  
• Increase the amount of time that retired members of Congress must wait before beginning to lobby for Congress from one year to two years and enacting a two-year ban on allowing them to be employed by a lobbying company or by a lobbying division of a larger company.
  
  
• Ban all gifts to members of Congress from lobbyists or organizations supported by lobbyists.  
  
  
• Eliminate pensions for any member of Congress convicted of a felony related to their official duties.
  
  
• Banning all former members of Congress who now work as lobbyists from lobbying on the floor of Congress and banning them from lobbying in the House and Senate gym.
  
  
• Requiring all lobbyists to register a list of their clients with Congress and making the list available online for public searches.

In addition, when elected I will impose even more stringent rules in my Congressional office including:

• Make publicly available any official contact with a lobbyist within 48 hours of the communication.
  
  
• Disclose any campaign contribution of $1,000 or more from a lobbyist within 48 hours of the contribution being made.

Nothing could be more important than assuring the American people that the business of Congress is being conducted above reproach and in the full light of day.