Senate Clears Path For Greater Disclosure Of Earmarks

Thursday, August 2nd 2007, 11:52 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Senate cleared the way Thursday to make lawmakers disclose more about their efforts to fund pet projects and raise money from lobbyists, a move hailed by reform groups.

The 80-17 vote ended debate on the ethics and lobbying bill, clearing the way for final passage later Thursday. The House overwhelmingly passed the Democratic-crafted measure Tuesday.

The legislation ``is the most sweeping reform bill since Watergate,'' Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said during the Senate debate.

But several Republicans said it falls short of requiring full disclosure of ``earmarks,'' or targeted spending items slipped into bills to fund pet projects sought by constituents, lobbyists or others.

``It has completely gutted the earmark reform provisions we overwhelmingly passed in January,'' said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. He broke with several former allies on the open-government front. They included Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., who embraced the bill as a major step forward.

The bill would require lawmakers to disclose those lobbyists who raise $15,000 or more for them within a six-month period by ``bundling'' donations from many people.

Lawmakers seeking earmarks would have to publicize their plans 48 hours before the Senate votes on them. They would have to certify the earmarks would not directly benefit them financially.

McCain and others, however, said senators could circumvent the requirements by saying prompt disclosure is not technically feasible, or by having the majority leader declare a bill earmark-free.

Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said it was ludicrous to suggest that someone in his position would ``cheat and lie'' to hide earmarks.

The bill would ban gifts to lawmakers from lobbyists or their clients. Former senators would have to wait two years before lobbying Congress; ex-House members would have to wait one year.

The bill would require senators, and candidates for the Senate or White House, to pay full charter rates for trips on private planes. House members and candidates would be barred from accepting trips on private planes.

Senators' secret ``holds'' on legislation also would be banned.

The Senate voted on the matter three days after federal agents searched the Alaska home of longtime Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, as part of a probe into alleged influence-peddling that involved earmarks benefitting an energy company.

The legislation is a response to recent scandals that sent two GOP lawmakers and a prominent lobbyist to prison, and saw a House Democrat charged with bribery. Democrats promised in 2006 to combat a ``culture of corruption'' in Congress, and they see the legislation as a key political accomplishment.