Sherman Proposes Open Government Act

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Brad Sherman on Wednesday joined colleagues in introducing legislation to rein in unethical lobbyists and reform the culture of corruption in the Republican-run Congress.

œPeople are fed up. Enough is enough, Sherman said. œA stream of scandals involving Republican congressmen and Republican lobbyists has laid bare the ugly truth about how unethical lobbyists ply crooked congressmen with extravagant gifts and favors to get their way.

The Open Government Act of 2006 is a reaction to a string of ethics controversies. Two months ago, eight-term California Republican Randy "Duke" Cunningham pleaded guilty to accepting $2.4 million in bribes, mainly from defense contractors. Other shoes are expected to drop in the wake of a guilty plea by the infamous Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff. He was a close ally of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who himself faces corruption charges in Texas.

The ethics reform package would ban all gifts to members of Congress from registered lobbyists. It also would tighten laws against the practice of lobbyists paying for members travel.

Former members of Congress and their staffs, as well as former executive branch officials, would be barred from lobbying for two years after they leave office --double the current one-year restriction.

The bill also would toughen public disclosure requirements for lobbyists by requiring more information, accessible on the Internet, that would have to be filed quarterly instead of twice a year. Moreover, the measure would stiffen civil and criminal penalties for lobbyists who break the rules.

The so-called K-Street Project, created by DeLay to stack lobbying firms with Republican loyalists, would be shut down. A new House Office of Public Integrity would audit compliance with lobbying disclosure rules.