[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                  S. 1

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
      To provide greater transparency in the legislative process.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Table of contents.
    TITLE I--LEGISLATIVE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2007

Sec. 101. Short title.
Sec. 102. Out of scope matters in conference reports.
Sec. 103. Congressional earmark reform.
Sec. 104. Availability of conference reports on the Internet.
Sec. 105. Sense of the Senate on conference committee protocols.
Sec. 106. Elimination of floor privileges for former Members, Senate 
                            Officers, and Speakers of the House who are 
                            lobbyists or seek financial gain.
Sec. 107. Proper valuation of tickets to entertainment and sporting 
                            events.
Sec. 108. Ban on gifts from lobbyists and entities that hire lobbyists.
Sec. 108A. National party conventions.
Sec. 109. Restrictions on lobbyist participation in travel and 
                            disclosure.
Sec. 110. Restrictions on former officers, employees, and elected 
                            officials of the executive and legislative 
                            branch.
Sec. 111. Post employment restrictions.
Sec. 112. Disclosure by Members of Congress and staff of employment 
                            negotiations.
Sec. 113. Prohibit official contact with spouse or immediate family 
                            member of Member who is a registered 
                            lobbyist.
Sec. 114. Influencing hiring decisions.
Sec. 115. Sense of the Senate that any applicable restrictions on 
                            Congressional branch employees should apply 
                            to the Executive and Judicial branches.
Sec. 116. Amounts of COLA adjustments not paid to certain Members of 
                            Congress.
Sec. 117. Requirement of notice of intent to proceed.
Sec. 118. CBO scoring requirement.
Sec. 119. Effective date.
     TITLE II--LOBBYING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2007

Sec. 201. Short title.
               Subtitle A--Enhancing Lobbying Disclosure

Sec. 211. Quarterly filing of lobbying disclosure reports.
Sec. 212. Quarterly reports on other contributions.
Sec. 213. Additional disclosure.
Sec. 214. Public database of lobbying disclosure information.
Sec. 215. Disclosure by registered lobbyists of all past executive and 
                            Congressional employment.
Sec. 216. Increased penalty for failure to comply with lobbying 
                            disclosure requirements.
Sec. 217. Disclosure of lobbying activities by certain coalitions and 
                            associations.
Sec. 218. Disclosure of enforcement for noncompliance.
Sec. 219. Electronic filing of lobbying disclosure reports.
Sec. 220. Electronic filing and public database for lobbyists for 
                            foreign governments.
Sec. 221. Additional lobbying disclosure requirements.
Sec. 222. Increased criminal penalties for failure to comply with 
                            lobbying disclosure requirements.
Sec. 223. Effective date.
              Subtitle B--Oversight of Ethics and Lobbying

Sec. 231. Comptroller General audit and annual report.
Sec. 232. Mandatory Senate ethics training for Members and staff.
Sec. 233. Sense of the Senate regarding self-regulation within the 
                            Lobbying community.
Sec. 234. Annual ethics committees reports.
                 Subtitle C--Slowing the Revolving Door

Sec. 241. Amendments to restrictions on former officers, employees, and 
                            elected officials of the executive and 
                            legislative branches.
    Subtitle D--Ban on Provision of Gifts or Travel by Lobbyists in 
                   Violation of the Rules of Congress

Sec. 251. Prohibition on provision of gifts or travel by registered 
                            lobbyists to Members of Congress and to 
                            Congressional employees.
Subtitle E--Commission to Strengthen Confidence in Congress Act of 2007

Sec. 261. Short title.
Sec. 262. Establishment of commission.
Sec. 263. Purposes.
Sec. 264. Composition of commission.
Sec. 265. Functions of commission.
Sec. 266. Powers of commission.
Sec. 267. Administration.
Sec. 268. Security clearances for commission Members and staff.
Sec. 269. Commission reports; termination.
Sec. 270. Funding.
            TITLE III--CONGRESSIONAL PENSION ACCOUNTABILITY

Sec. 301. Short title.
Sec. 302. Denial of retirement benefits.
Sec. 303. Constitutional authority.
Sec. 304. Effective date.
                      TITLE IV--GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 401. Knowing and willful falsification or failure to report.
Sec. 402. Public availability of Senate committee and subcommittee 
                            meeetings.
Sec. 403. Free attendance at a bona fide constituent event.
Sec. 404. Prohibition on financial gain from earmarks by Members, 
                            immediate family of Members, staff of 
                            Members, or immediate family of staff of 
                            Members.
Sec. 405. Amendments and motions to recommit.
Sec. 406. Congressional travel public website.

    TITLE I--LEGISLATIVE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2007

SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``Legislative Transparency and 
Accountability Act of 2007''.

SEC. 102. OUT OF SCOPE MATTERS IN CONFERENCE REPORTS.

    (a) In General.--A point of order may be made by any Senator 
against any item contained in a conference report that includes or 
consists of any matter not committed to the conferees by either House.
            (1) For the purpose of this section ``matter not committed 
        to the conferees by either House'' shall include any item which 
        consists of a specific provision containing a specific level of 
        funding for any specific account, specific program, specific 
        project, or specific activity, when no such specific funding 
        was provided for such specific account, specific program, 
        specific project, or specific activity in the measure 
        originally committed to the conferees by either House.
            (2) For the purpose of Rule XXVIII of the Standing Rules of 
        the Senate ``matter not committed'' shall include any item 
        which consists of a specific provision containing a specific 
        level of funding for any specific account, specific program, 
        specific project, or specific activity, when no such specific 
        funding was provided for such specific account, specific 
        program, specific project, or specific activity in the measure 
        originally committed to the conferees by either House.
The point of order may be made and disposed of separately for each item 
in violation of this section.
    (b) Disposition.--If the point of order raised against an item in a 
conference report under subsection (a) is sustained, then--
            (1) the matter in such conference report shall be stricken;
            (2) when all other points of order under this section have 
        been disposed of--
                    (A) the Senate shall proceed to consider the 
                question of whether the Senate should recede from its 
                amendment to the House bill, or its disagreement to the 
                amendment of the House, and concur with a further 
                amendment, which further amendment shall consist of 
                only that portion of the conference report that has not 
                been stricken (any modification of total amounts 
                appropriated necessary to reflect the deletion of the 
                matter struck from the conference report shall be 
                made);
                    (B) the question shall be debatable; and
                    (C) no further amendment shall be in order.
    (c) Supermajority Waiver and Appeal.--This section may be waived or 
suspended in the Senate only by an affirmative vote of \3/5\ of the 
Members, duly chosen and sworn. An affirmative vote of \3/5\ of the 
Members of the Senate, duly chosen and sworn, shall be required in the 
Senate to sustain an appeal of the ruling of the Chair on a point of 
order raised under this section.

SEC. 103. CONGRESSIONAL EARMARK REFORM.

    The Standing Rules of the Senate are amended by adding at the end 
the following:

                               RULE XLIV

                                earmarks

    ``1. It shall not be in order to consider--
            ``(a) a bill or joint resolution reported by a committee 
        unless the report includes a list, which shall be made 
        available on the Internet in a searchable format to the general 
        public for at least 48 hours before consideration of the bill 
        or joint resolution, of congressional earmarks, limited tax 
        benefits, and limited tariff benefits in the bill or in the 
        report (and the name of any Member who submitted a request to 
        the committee for each respective item included in such list) 
        or a statement that the proposition contains no congressional 
        earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits;
            ``(b) a bill or joint resolution not reported by a 
        committee unless the chairman of each committee of jurisdiction 
        has caused a list, which shall be made available on the 
        Internet in a searchable format to the general public for at 
        least 48 hours before consideration of the bill or joint 
        resolution, of congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, 
        and limited tariff benefits in the bill (and the name of any 
        Member who submitted a request to the committee for each 
        respective item included in such list) or a statement that the 
        proposition contains no congressional earmarks, limited tax 
        benefits, or limited tariff benefits to be printed in the 
        Congressional Record prior to its consideration; or
            ``(c) a conference report to accompany a bill or joint 
        resolution unless the joint explanatory statement prepared by 
        the managers on the part of the House and the managers on the 
        part of the Senate includes a list, which shall be made 
        available on the Internet in a searchable format to the general 
        public for at least 48 hours before consideration of the 
        conference report, of congressional earmarks, limited tax 
        benefits, and limited tariff benefits in the conference report 
        or joint statement (and the name of any Member, Delegate, 
        Resident Commissioner, or Senator who submitted a request to 
        the House or Senate committees of jurisdiction for each 
        respective item included in such list) or a statement that the 
        proposition contains no congressional earmarks, limited tax 
        benefits, or limited tariff benefits.
    ``2. For the purpose of this rule--
            ``(a) the term `congressional earmark' means a provision or 
        report language included primarily at the request of a Member, 
        Delegate, Resident Commissioner, or Senator providing, 
        authorizing or recommending a specific amount of discretionary 
        budget authority, credit authority, or other spending authority 
        for a contract, loan, loan guarantee, grant, loan authority, or 
        other expenditure with or to an entity, or targeted to a 
        specific State, locality or Congressional district, other than 
        through a statutory or administrative formula-driven or 
        competitive award process;
            ``(b) the term `limited tax benefit' means--
                    ``(1) any revenue provision that--
                            ``(A) provides a Federal tax deduction, 
                        credit, exclusion, or preference to a 
                        particular beneficiary or limited group of 
                        beneficiaries under the Internal Revenue Code 
                        of 1986; and
                            ``(B) contains eligibility criteria that 
                        are not uniform in application with respect to 
                        potential beneficiaries of such provision; or
                    ``(2) any Federal tax provision which provides one 
                beneficiary temporary or permanent transition relief 
                from a change to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
            ``(c) the term `limited tariff benefit' means a provision 
        modifying the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 
        in a manner that benefits 10 or fewer entities.
    ``3. A Member may not condition the inclusion of language to 
provide funding for a congressional earmark, a limited tax benefit, or 
a limited tariff benefit in any bill or joint resolution (or an 
accompanying report) or in any conference report on a bill or joint 
resolution (including an accompanying joint explanatory statement of 
managers) on any vote cast by another Member, Delegate, or Resident 
Commissioner.
    ``4. (a) A Member who requests a congressional earmark, a limited 
tax benefit, or a limited tariff benefit in any bill or joint 
resolution (or an accompanying report) or in any conference report on a 
bill or joint resolution (or an accompanying joint statement of 
managers) shall provide a written statement to the chairman and ranking 
member of the committee of jurisdiction, including--
            ``(1) the name of the Member;
            ``(2) in the case of a congressional earmark, the name and 
        address of the intended recipient or, if there is no 
        specifically intended recipient, the intended location of the 
        activity;
            ``(3) in the case of a limited tax or tariff benefit, 
        identification of the individual or entities reasonably 
        anticipated to benefit, to the extent known to the Member;
            ``(4) the purpose of such congressional earmark or limited 
        tax or tariff benefit; and
            ``(5) a certification that the Member or spouse has no 
        financial interest in such congressional earmark or limited tax 
        or tariff benefit.
    ``(b) Each committee shall maintain the written statements 
transmitted under subparagraph (a). The written statements transmitted 
under subparagraph (a) for any congressional earmarks, limited tax 
benefits, or limited tariff benefits included in any measure reported 
by the committee or conference report filed by the chairman of the 
committee or any subcommittee thereof shall be published in a 
searchable format on the committee's or subcommittee's website not 
later than 48 hours after receipt on such information.
    ``5. It shall not be in order to consider any bill, resolution, or 
conference report that contains an earmark included in any classified 
portion of a report accompanying the measure unless the bill, 
resolution, or conference report includes to the greatest extent 
practicable, consistent with the need to protect national security 
(including intelligence sources and methods), in unclassified language, 
a general program description, funding level, and the name of the 
sponsor of that earmark.''.

SEC. 104. AVAILABILITY OF CONFERENCE REPORTS ON THE INTERNET.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Amendment.--Rule XXVIII of all the Standing Rules of 
        the Senate is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``7. (a) It shall not be in order to consider a conference report 
unless such report is available to all Members and made available to 
the general public by means of the Internet for at least 48 hours 
before its consideration.
    ``(b) This paragraph may be waived or suspended in the Senate only 
by an affirmative vote of \3/5\ of the Members, duly chosen and sworn. 
An affirmative vote of \3/5\ of the Members of the Senate, duly chosen 
and sworn, shall be required in the Senate to sustain an appeal of the 
ruling of the Chair on a point of order raised under this paragraph.
    ``8. It shall not be in order to consider a conference report 
unless the text of such report has not been changed after the Senate 
signatures sheets have been signed by a majority of the Senate 
conferees.''.
            (2) Effective date.--This subsection shall take effect 60 
        days after the date of enactment of this title.
    (b) Implementation.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
enactment of this title, the Secretary of the Senate, in consultation 
with the Clerk of the House of Representatives, the Government Printing 
Office, and the Committee on Rules and Administration, shall develop a 
website capable of complying with the requirements of paragraph 7 of 
rule XXVIII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, as added by subsection 
(a).

SEC. 105. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON CONFERENCE COMMITTEE PROTOCOLS.

    It is the sense of Senate that--
            (1) conference committees should hold regular, formal 
        meetings of all conferees that are open to the public;
            (2) all conferees should be given adequate notice of the 
        time and place of all such meetings; and
            (3) all conferees should be afforded an opportunity to 
        participate in full and complete debates of the matters that 
        such conference committees may recommend to their respective 
        Houses.

SEC. 106. ELIMINATION OF FLOOR PRIVILEGES FOR FORMER MEMBERS, SENATE 
              OFFICERS, AND SPEAKERS OF THE HOUSE WHO ARE LOBBYISTS OR 
              SEEK FINANCIAL GAIN.

    Rule XXIII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by--
            (1) inserting ``1.'' before ``Other'';
            (2) inserting after ``Ex-Senators and Senators-elect'' the 
        following: ``, except as provided in paragraph 2'';
            (3) inserting after ``Ex-Secretaries and ex-Sergeants at 
        Arms of the Senate'' the following: ``, except as provided in 
        paragraph 2'';
            (4) inserting after ``Ex-Speakers of the House of 
        Representatives'' the following: ``, except as provided in 
        paragraph 2''; and
            (5) adding at the end the following:
    ``2. (a) The floor privilege provided in paragraph 1 shall not 
apply, when the Senate is in session, to an individual covered by this 
paragraph who is--
            ``(1) a registered lobbyist or agent of a foreign 
        principal; or
            ``(2) is in the employ of or represents any party or 
        organization for the purpose of influencing, directly or 
        indirectly, the passage, defeat, or amendment of any 
        legislative proposal.
    ``(b) The Committee on Rules and Administration may promulgate 
regulations to allow individuals covered by this paragraph floor 
privileges for ceremonial functions and events designated by the 
Majority Leader and the Minority Leader.
    ``3. A former Member of the Senate may not exercise privileges to 
use Senate or House gym or exercise facilities or member-only parking 
spaces if such Member is--
            ``(1) a registered lobbyist or agent of a foreign 
        principal; or
            ``(2) in the employ of or represents any party or 
        organization for the purpose of influencing, directly or 
        indirectly, the passage, defeat, or amendment of any 
        legislative proposal.''.

SEC. 107. PROPER VALUATION OF TICKETS TO ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORTING 
              EVENTS.

    Paragraph 1(c)(1) of rule XXXV of the Standing Rules of the Senate 
is amended by adding at the end the following: ``The market value of a 
ticket to an entertainment or sporting event shall be the face value of 
the ticket or, in the case of a ticket without a face value, the value 
of the most similar ticket sold by the issuer to the public. A 
determination of similarity shall consider all features of the ticket, 
including access to parking, availability of food and refreshments, and 
access to venue areas not open to the public. A ticket with no face 
value and for which no similar ticket is sold by the issuer to the 
public, shall be valued at the cost of a ticket with the highest face 
value for the event.''.

SEC. 108. BAN ON GIFTS FROM LOBBYISTS AND ENTITIES THAT HIRE LOBBYISTS.

    Paragraph 1(a)(2) of rule XXXV of the Standing Rules of the Senate 
is amended by--
            (1) inserting ``(A)'' after ``(2)''; and
            (2) adding at the end the following:
    ``(B) A Member, officer, or employee may not knowingly accept a 
gift from a registered lobbyist, an agent of a foreign principal, or a 
private entity that retains or employs a registered lobbyist or an 
agent of a foreign principal, except as provided in subparagraph 
(c).''.

SEC. 108A. NATIONAL PARTY CONVENTIONS.

    Paragraph (1)(d) of rule XXXV of the Standing Rules of the Senate 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``5. A Member may not participate in an event honoring that Member 
at a national party convention if such event is paid for by any person 
or entity required to register pursuant to section 4(a) of the Lobbying 
Disclosure Act of 1995, or any individual or entity identified as a 
lobbyist or a client in any current registration or report filed under 
such Act.''.

SEC. 109. RESTRICTIONS ON LOBBYIST PARTICIPATION IN TRAVEL AND 
              DISCLOSURE.

    (a) Prohibition.--Paragraph 2 of rule XXXV is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (a)(1), by--
                    (A) adding after ``foreign principal'' the 
                following: ``or a private entity that retains or 
                employs 1 or more registered lobbyists or agents of a 
                foreign principal'';
                    (B) striking the dash and inserting ``complies with 
                the requirements of this paragraph.''; and
                    (C) striking clauses (A) and (B);
            (2) by redesignating subparagraph (a)(2) as subparagraph 
        (a)(3) and adding after subparagraph (a)(1) the following:
    ``(2) Notwithstanding clause (1), a reimbursement (including 
payment in kind) to a Member, officer, or employee of the Senate from 
an individual other than a registered lobbyist or agent of a foreign 
principal that is a private entity that retains or employs one or more 
registered lobbyists or agents of a foreign principal for necessary 
transportation, lodging, and related expenses for travel to a meeting, 
speaking engagement, factfinding trip or similar event in connection 
with the duties of the Member, officer, or employee shall be deemed to 
be a reimbursement to the Senate under clause (1) if it is, under 
regulations prescribed by the Select Committee on Ethics to implement 
this clause, provided only for attendance at or participation for 1-day 
at an event (exclusive of travel time and an overnight stay) described 
in clause (1) or sponsored by a 501(c)(3) organization that has been 
pre-approved by the Select Committee on Ethics. When deciding whether 
to pre-approve a 501(c)(3) organization, the Select Committee on Ethics 
shall consider the stated mission of the organization, the 
organization's prior history of sponsoring congressional trips, other 
educational activities performed by the organization besides sponsoring 
congressional trips, whether any trips previously sponsored by the 
organization led to an investigation by the Select Committee on Ethics 
and any other factor deemed relevant by the Select Committee on Ethics. 
Regulations to implement this clause, and the committee on a case-by-
case basis, may permit a 2-night stay when determined by the committee 
to be practically required to participate in the event.'';
            (3) in subparagraph (a)(3), as redesignated, by striking 
        ``clause (1)'' and inserting ``clauses (1) and (2)'';
            (4) in subparagraph (b), by inserting before ``Each'' the 
        following: ``Before an employee may accept reimbursement 
        pursuant to subparagraph (a), the employee shall receive 
        advance authorization from the Member or officer under whose 
        direct supervision the employee works to accept 
        reimbursement.'';
            (5) in subparagraph (c)--
                    (A) by inserting before ``Each'' the following: 
                ``Each Member, officer, or employee that receives 
                reimbursement under this paragraph shall disclose the 
                expenses reimbursed or to be reimbursed and 
                authorization (for an employee) to the Secretary of the 
                Senate not later than 30 days after the travel is 
                completed.'';
                    (B) by striking ``subparagraph (a)(1)'' and 
                inserting ``this subparagraph'';
                    (C) in clause (5), by striking ``and'' after the 
                semicolon;
                    (D) by redesignating clause (6) as clause (7); and
                    (E) by inserting after clause (5) the following:
            ``(6) a description of meetings and events attended; and'';
            (6) by redesignating subparagraphs (d) and (e) as 
        subparagraphs (f) and (g), respectively;
            (7) by adding after subparagraph (c) the following:
    ``(d) A Member, officer, or employee of the Senate may not accept a 
reimbursement (including payment in kind) for transportation, lodging, 
or related expenses under subparagraph (a) for a trip that was planned, 
organized, or arranged by or at the request of a registered lobbyist or 
agent of a foreign principal, or on which a lobbyist accompanies the 
Member, officer, or employee on any segment of the trip. The Select 
Committee on Ethics shall issue regulations identifying de minimis 
activities by lobbyists or foreign agents that would not violate this 
subparagraph.
    ``(e) A Member, officer, or employee shall, before accepting travel 
otherwise permissible under this paragraph from any person--
            ``(1) provide to the Select Committee on Ethics a written 
        certification from such person that--
                    ``(A) the trip will not be financed in any part by 
                a registered lobbyist or agent of a foreign principal;
                    ``(B) the source either--
                            ``(i) does not retain or employ registered 
                        lobbyists or agents of a foreign principal and 
                        is not itself a registered lobbyist or agent of 
                        a foreign principal; or
                            ``(ii) certifies that the trip meets the 
                        requirements specified in rules prescribed by 
                        the Select Committee on Ethics to implement 
                        subparagraph (a)(2);
                    ``(C) the source will not accept from any source 
                funds earmarked directly or indirectly for the purpose 
                of financing the specific trip; and
                    ``(D) the trip will not in any part be planned, 
                organized, requested, or arranged by a registered 
                lobbyist or agent of a foreign principal and that the 
                traveler will not be accompanied on any segment of the 
                trip by a registered lobbyist or agent of a foreign 
                principal, except as permitted by regulations issued 
                under subparagraph (d), and specifically details the 
                extent of any involvement of a registered lobbyist or 
                agent of a foreign principal; and
            ``(2) after the Select Committee on Ethics has promulgated 
        regulations mandated in subparagraph (h), obtain the prior 
        approval of the committee for such reimbursement.'';
            (8) by striking subparagraph (g), as redesignated, and 
        inserting the following:
    ``(g) The Secretary of the Senate shall make all advance 
authorizations, certifications, and disclosures filed pursuant to this 
paragraph available for public inspection as soon as possible after 
they are received.''; and
            (9) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(h)(1) Not later than 45 days after the date of adoption of this 
subparagraph and at annual intervals thereafter, the Select Committee 
on Ethics shall develop and revise, as necessary--
            ``(A) guidelines on judging the reasonableness of an 
        expense or expenditure for purposes of this clause, including 
        the factors that tend to establish--
                    ``(i) a connection between a trip and official 
                duties;
                    ``(ii) the reasonableness of an amount spent by a 
                sponsor;
                    ``(iii) a relationship between an event and an 
                officially connected purpose; and
                    ``(iv) a direct and immediate relationship between 
                a source of funding and an event; and
            ``(B) regulations describing the information it will 
        require individuals subject to this clause to submit to the 
        committee in order to obtain the prior approval of the 
        committee for any travel covered by this clause, including any 
        required certifications.
    ``(2) In developing and revising guidelines under clause (1)(A), 
the committee shall take into account the maximum per diem rates for 
official Government travel published annually by the General Services 
Administration, the Department of State, and the Department of Defense.
    ``(3) For purposes of this subparagraph, travel on an aircraft 
operated or paid for by a carrier not licenced by the Federal Aviation 
Administration to operate for compensation shall not be considered a 
reasonable expense.
    ``(i) A Member, officer, or employee who travels on an aircraft 
operated or paid for by a carrier not licenced by the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall file a report with the Secretary of the Senate not 
later than 60 days after the date on which such flight is taken. The 
report shall include--
            ``(1) the date of such flight;
            ``(2) the destination of such flight;
            ``(3) the owner or lessee of the aircraft;
            ``(4) the purpose of such travel;
            ``(5) the persons on such flight (except for any person 
        flying the aircraft); and
            ``(6) the charter rate paid for such flight.''.
    (b) Reimbursement for Noncommercial Air Travel.--
            (1) Charter rates.--Paragraph 1(c)(1) of rule XXXV of the 
        Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by adding at the end 
        the following: ``Fair market value for a flight on an aircraft 
        operated or paid for by a carrier not licensed by the Federal 
        Aviation Administration to operate for compensation or hire, 
        excluding an aircraft owned or leased by a governmental entity 
        or by a Member of Congress or a Member's spouse (including an 
        aircraft owned by an entity that is not a public corporation in 
        which the Member or Member's spouse has an ownership interest, 
        provided that the Member does not use the aircraft anymore than 
        the Member's or spouse's proportionate share of ownership 
        allows), shall be the pro rata share of the fair market value 
        of the normal and usual charter fare or rental charge for a 
        comparable plane of comparable size (as determined by dividing 
        such cost by the number of members, officers, or employees of 
        the Congress on the flight).''.
            (2) Unofficial office accounts.--Paragraph 1 of rule 
        XXXVIII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by 
        adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) For purposes of reimbursement under this rule, fair market 
value of a flight on an aircraft operated or paid for by a carrier not 
licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration to operate for 
compensation or hire, shall be the pro rata share of the fair market 
value of the normal and usual charter fare or rental charge for a 
comparable plane of comparable size (as determined by dividing such 
cost by the number of members, officers, or employees of the Congress 
on the flight).''.
            (3) Candidates.--Subparagraph (B) of section 301(8) of the 
        Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (42 U.S.C. 431(8)(B)) is 
        amended by--
                    (A) in clause (xiii), striking ``and'' at the end;
                    (B) in clause (xiv), striking the period and 
                inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following :
                    ``(xv) any travel expense for a flight on an 
                aircraft that is operated or paid for by a carrier not 
                licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration to 
                operate for compensation or hire, but only if the 
                candidate, the candidate's authorized committee, or 
                other political committee pays--
                            ``(I) to the owner, lessee, or other person 
                        who provides the airplane the pro rata share of 
                        the fair market value of such flight (as 
                        determined by dividing the fair market value of 
                        the normal and usual charter fare or rental 
                        charge for a comparable plane of appropriate 
                        size by the number of candidates on the flight) 
                        by not later than 7 days after the date on 
                        which the flight is taken; and
                            ``(II) files a report with the Secretary of 
                        the Senate not later than 60 days after the 
                        date on which such flight is taken, such report 
                        shall include--
                                    ``(aa) the date of such flight;
                                    ``(bb) the destination of such 
                                flight;
                                    ``(cc) the owner or lessee of the 
                                aircraft;
                                    ``(dd) the purpose of such travel;
                                    ``(ee) the persons on such flight 
                                (except for any person flying the 
                                aircraft); and
                                    ``(ff) the charter rate paid for 
                                such flight.''.
            (4) Rules committee review of travel allowances.--Not later 
        than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, the Senate 
        Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on the Legislative 
        Branch, in consultation with the Committee on Rules and 
        Administration of the Senate, shall consider and propose, as 
        necessary in the discretion of the subcommittee, any adjustment 
        to the Senator's Official Personnel and Office Expense Account 
        needed in light of the revised standards for reimbursement for 
        private air travel required by this subsection, and any 
        modifications of Federal statutes or appropriations measures 
        needed to accomplish such adjustments.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 110. RESTRICTIONS ON FORMER OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AND ELECTED 
              OFFICIALS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE BRANCH.

    (a) In General.--Section 207(j)(1) of title 18, United States Code, 
is amended, by--
            (1) striking ``The restrictions'' and inserting the 
        following:
                    ``(A) In general.--The restrictions''; and
            (2) adding at the end the following:
                    ``(B) Indian tribes.--The restrictions contained in 
                this section shall not apply to acts done pursuant to 
                section 104 of the Indian Self-Determination and 
                Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450i).''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 104(j) of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450i(j)) is 
amended by striking ``and former officers and employees of the United 
States employed by Indian tribes may act as agents or attorneys for 
or'' and inserting ``or former officers and employees of the United 
States who are carrying out official duties as employees or as elected 
or appointed officials of an Indian tribe may communicate with and''.

SEC. 111. POST EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONS.

    (a) In General.--Paragraph 9 of rule XXXVII of the Standing Rules 
of the Senate is amended by--
            (1) designating the first sentence as subparagraph (a);
            (2) designating the second sentence as subparagraph (b); 
        and
            (3) adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) If an employee on the staff of a Member or on the staff of a 
committee whose rate of pay is equal to or greater than 75 percent of 
the rate of pay of a Member and employed at such rate for more than 60 
days in a calendar year, upon leaving that position, becomes a 
registered lobbyist under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, or is 
employed or retained by such a registered lobbyist for the purpose of 
influencing legislation, such employee may not lobby any Member, 
officer, or employee of the Senate for a period of 1 year after leaving 
that position.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect 60 days after 
the date of enactment of this title.

SEC. 112. DISCLOSURE BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND STAFF OF EMPLOYMENT 
              NEGOTIATIONS.

    Rule XXXVII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
    ``14. (a) A Member shall not directly negotiate or have any 
arrangement concerning prospective private employment until after his 
or her successor has been elected, unless such Member files a statement 
with the Secretary of the Senate, for public disclosure, regarding such 
negotiations or arrangements within 3 business days after the 
commencement of such negotiation or arrangement, including the name of 
the private entity or entities involved in such negotiations or 
arrangements, the date such negotiations or arrangements commenced, and 
must be signed by the Member.
    ``(b) A Member shall not directly negotiate or have any arrangement 
concerning prospective employment until after his or her successor has 
been elected for a job involving lobbying activities as defined by the 
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.
    ``(c) (1) An employee of the Senate earning in excess of 75 percent 
of the salary paid to a Senator shall notify the Committee on Ethics 
that he or she is negotiating or has any arrangement concerning 
prospective private employment.
    ``(2) The disclosure and notification under this subparagraph shall 
be made within 3 business days after the commencement of such 
negotiation or arrangement.
    ``(3) An employee to whom this subparagraph applies shall recuse 
himself or herself from any matter in which there is a conflict of 
interest or an appearance of a conflict for that employee under this 
rule and notify the Select Committee on Ethics of such recusal.''.

SEC. 113. PROHIBIT OFFICIAL CONTACT WITH SPOUSE OR IMMEDIATE FAMILY 
              MEMBER OF MEMBER WHO IS A REGISTERED LOBBYIST.

    Rule XXXVII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by--
            (1) redesignating paragraphs 10 through 12 as paragraphs 11 
        through 13, respectively; and
            (2) inserting after paragraph 9, the following:
    ``10. (a) If a Member's spouse or immediate family member is a 
registered lobbyist under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, or is 
employed or retained by such a registered lobbyist for the purpose of 
influencing legislation, the Member shall prohibit all staff employed 
by that Member (including staff in personal, committee, and leadership 
offices) from having any official contact with the Member's spouse or 
immediate family member.
    ``(b) Members and employees on the staff of a Member (including 
staff in personal, committee, and leadership offices) shall be 
prohibited from having any official contact with any spouse of a Member 
who is a registered lobbyist under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, 
or is employed or retained by such a registered lobbyist.
    ``(c) The prohibition in subparagraph (a) shall not apply to the 
spouse of a Member who was serving as a registered lobbyist at least 1 
year prior to the election of that Member to office or at least 1 year 
prior to their marriage to that Member.
    ``(d) In this paragraph, the term `immediate family member' means 
the son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, 
mother, father, stepmother, stepfather, mother-in-law, father-in-law, 
brother, sister, stepbrother, or stepsister of the Member.''.

SEC. 114. INFLUENCING HIRING DECISIONS.

    Rule XLIII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``6. No Member shall, with the intent to influence on the basis of 
partisan political affiliation an employment decision or employment 
practice of any private entity--
            ``(1) take or withhold, or offer or threaten to take or 
        withhold, an official act; or
            ``(2) influence, or offer or threaten to influence the 
        official act of another.''.

SEC. 115. SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT ANY APPLICABLE RESTRICTIONS ON 
              CONGRESSIONAL BRANCH EMPLOYEES SHOULD APPLY TO THE 
              EXECUTIVE AND JUDICIAL BRANCHES.

    It is the sense of the Senate that any applicable restrictions on 
Congressional branch employees in this title should apply to the 
Executive and Judicial branches.

SEC. 116. AMOUNTS OF COLA ADJUSTMENTS NOT PAID TO CERTAIN MEMBERS OF 
              CONGRESS.

    (a) In General.--Any adjustment under section 601(a) of the 
Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 31) (relating to the 
cost-of-living adjustments for Members of Congress) shall not be paid 
to any Member of Congress who voted for any amendment (or against the 
tabling of any amendment) that provided that such adjustment would not 
be made.
    (b) Deposit in Treasury.--Any amount not paid to a Member of 
Congress under subsection (a) shall be transmitted to the Treasury for 
deposit in the appropriations account under the subheading ``medical 
services'' under the heading ``veterans health administration''.
    (c) Administration.--The salary of any Member of Congress to whom 
subsection (a) applies shall be deemed to be the salary in effect after 
the application of that subsection, except that for purposes of 
determining any benefit (including any retirement or insurance 
benefit), the salary of that Member of Congress shall be deemed to be 
the salary that Member of Congress would have received, but for that 
subsection.
    (d) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect on the first 
day of the first applicable pay period beginning on or after February 
1, 2008.

SEC. 117. REQUIREMENT OF NOTICE OF INTENT TO PROCEED.

    (a) In General.--The majority and minority leaders of the Senate or 
their designees shall recognize a notice of intent of a Senator who is 
a member of their caucus to object to proceeding to a measure or matter 
only if the Senator--
            (1) submits the notice of intent in writing to the 
        appropriate leader or their designee; and
            (2) within 3 session days after the submission under 
        paragraph (1), submits for inclusion in the Congressional 
        Record and in the applicable calendar section described in 
        subsection (b) the following notice:
    ``I, Senator __, intend to object to proceeding to __, dated __.''.
    (b) Calendar.--The Secretary of the Senate shall establish, for 
both the Senate Calendar of Business and the Senate Executive Calendar, 
a separate section entitled ``Notices of Intent to Object to 
Proceeding''. Each section shall include the name of each Senator 
filing a notice under subsection (a)(2), the measure or matter covered 
by the calendar that the Senator objects to, and the date the objection 
was filed.
    (c) Removal.--A Senator may have an item with respect to the 
Senator removed from a calendar to which it was added under subsection 
(b) by submitting for inclusion in the Congressional Record the 
following notice:
    ``I, Senator __, do not object to proceeding to __, dated __.''.

SEC. 118. CBO SCORING REQUIREMENT.

    (a) In General.--It shall not be in order in the Senate to consider 
a report of a committee of conference unless an official written cost 
estimate or table by the Congressional Budget Office is available at 
the time of consideration.
    (b) Supermajority Requirement.--This section may be waived or 
suspended in the Senate only by an affirmative vote of \3/5\ of the 
Members, duly chosen and sworn. An affirmative vote of \3/5\ of the 
Members of the Senate, duly chosen and sworn, shall be required in the 
Senate to sustain an appeal of the ruling of the Chair on a point of 
order raised under this section.

SEC. 119. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    Except as otherwise provided in this title, this title shall take 
effect on the date of enactment of this title.

     TITLE II--LOBBYING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2007

SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``Legislative Transparency and 
Accountability Act of 2007''.

               Subtitle A--Enhancing Lobbying Disclosure

SEC. 211. QUARTERLY FILING OF LOBBYING DISCLOSURE REPORTS.

    (a) Quarterly Filing Required.--Section 5 of the Lobbying 
Disclosure Act of 1995 (in this title referred to as the ``Act'') (2 
U.S.C. 1604) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
                ``Semiannual'' and inserting ``Quarterly''; and
                    (B) by striking the first sentence and inserting 
                the following: ``Not later than 20 days after the end 
                of the quarterly period beginning on the 1st day of 
                January, April, July, and October of each year, or on 
                the first business day after the 20th day if that day 
                is not a business day, in which a registrant is 
                registered with the Secretary of the Senate and the 
                Clerk of the House of Representatives, a registrant 
                shall file a report or reports, as applicable, on its 
                lobbying activities during such quarterly period.''; 
                and
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
                striking ``semiannual report'' and inserting 
                ``quarterly report'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``semiannual 
                filing period'' and inserting ``quarterly period'';
                    (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``semiannual 
                period'' and inserting ``quarterly period''; and
                    (D) in paragraph (4), by striking ``semiannual 
                filing period'' and inserting ``quarterly period''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Definition.--Section 3(10) of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1602) 
        is amended by striking ``six month period'' and inserting 
        ``three-month period''.
            (2) Registration.--Section 4 of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1603) is 
        amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a)(3)(A), by striking 
                ``semiannual period'' and inserting ``quarterly 
                period''; and
                    (B) in subsection (b)(3)(A), by striking 
                ``semiannual period'' and inserting ``quarterly 
                period''.
            (3) Enforcement.--Section 6(a)(6) of the Act (2 U.S.C. 
        1605(6)) is amended by striking ``semiannual period'' and 
        inserting ``quarterly period''.
            (4) Estimates.--Section 15 of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1610) is 
        amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``semiannual 
                period'' and inserting ``quarterly period''; and
                    (B) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``semiannual 
                period'' and inserting ``quarterly period''.
            (5) Dollar amounts.--
                    (A) Registration.--Section 4 of the Act (2 U.S.C. 
                1603) is amended--
                            (i) in subsection (a)(3)(A)(i), by striking 
                        ``$5,000'' and inserting ``$2,500'';
                            (ii) in subsection (a)(3)(A)(ii), by 
                        striking ``$20,000'' and inserting ``$10,000'';
                            (iii) in subsection (b)(3)(A), by striking 
                        ``$10,000'' and inserting ``$5,000''; and
                            (iv) in subsection (b)(4), by striking 
                        ``$10,000'' and inserting ``$5,000''.
                    (B) Reports.--Section 5 of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1604) 
                is amended--
                            (i) in subsection (c)(1), by striking 
                        ``$10,000'' and ``$20,000'' and inserting 
                        ``$5,000'' and ``$10,000'', respectively; and
                            (ii) in subsection (c)(2), by striking 
                        ``$10,000'' both places such term appears and 
                        inserting ``$5,000''.

SEC. 212. QUARTERLY REPORTS ON OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS.

    Section 5 of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1604) is amended by adding at the 
end the following:
    ``(d) Quarterly Reports on Other Contributions.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 45 days after the end of 
        the quarterly period beginning on the 20th day of January, 
        April, July, and October of each year, or on the first business 
        day after the 20th if that day is not a business day, each 
        registrant under paragraphs (1) or (2) of section 4(a), and 
        each employee who is listed as a lobbyist on a current 
        registration or report filed under this Act, shall file a 
        report with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the 
        House of Representatives containing--
                    ``(A) the name of the registrant or lobbyist;
                    ``(B) the employer of the lobbyist or the names of 
                all political committees established or administered by 
                the registrant;
                    ``(C) the name of each Federal candidate or 
                officeholder, leadership PAC, or political party 
                committee, to whom aggregate contributions equal to or 
                exceeding $200 were made by the lobbyist, the 
                registrant, or a political committee established or 
                administered by the registrant within the calendar 
                year, and the date and amount of each contribution made 
                within the quarter;
                    ``(D) the name of each Federal candidate or 
                officeholder, leadership PAC, or political party 
                committee for whom a fundraising event was hosted, co-
                hosted, or sponsored by the lobbyist, the registrant, 
                or a political committee established or administered by 
                the registrant within the quarter, and the date, 
                location, and total amount (or good faith estimate 
                thereof) raised at such event;
                    ``(E) the name of each Federal candidate or 
                officeholder, leadership PAC, or political party 
                committee for whom aggregate contributions equal to or 
                exceeding $200 were collected or arranged within the 
                calendar year, and to the extent known the aggregate 
                amount of such contributions (or a good faith estimate 
                thereof) within the quarter for each recipient;
                    ``(F) the name of each covered legislative branch 
                official or covered executive branch official for whom 
                the lobbyist, the registrant, or a political committee 
                established or administered by the registrant provided, 
                or directed or caused to be provided, any payment or 
                reimbursements for travel and related expenses in 
                connection with the duties of such covered official, 
                including for each such official--
                            ``(i) an itemization of the payments or 
                        reimbursements provided to finance the travel 
                        and related expenses, and to whom the payments 
                        or reimbursements were made with the express or 
                        implied understanding or agreement that such 
                        funds will be used for travel and related 
                        expenses;
                            ``(ii) the purpose and final itinerary of 
                        the trip, including a description of all 
                        meetings, tours, events, and outings attended;
                            ``(iii) whether the registrant or lobbyist 
                        traveled on any such travel;
                            ``(iv) the identity of the listed sponsor 
                        or sponsors of such travel; and
                            ``(v) the identity of any person or entity, 
                        other than the listed sponsor or sponsors of 
                        the travel, who directly or indirectly provided 
                        for payment of travel and related expenses at 
                        the request or suggestion of the lobbyist, the 
                        registrant, or a political committee 
                        established or administered by the registrant;
                    ``(G) the date, recipient, and amount of funds 
                contributed, disbursed, or arranged (or a good faith 
                estimate thereof) by the lobbyist, the registrant, or a 
                political committee established or administered by the 
                registrant--
                            ``(i) to pay the cost of an event to honor 
                        or recognize a covered legislative branch 
                        official or covered executive branch official;
                            ``(ii) to, or on behalf of, an entity that 
                        is named for a covered legislative branch 
                        official, or to a person or entity in 
                        recognition of such official;
                            ``(iii) to an entity established, financed, 
                        maintained, or controlled by a covered 
                        legislative branch official or covered 
                        executive branch official, or an entity 
                        designated by such official; or
                            ``(iv) to pay the costs of a meeting, 
                        retreat, conference, or other similar event 
                        held by, or for the benefit of, 1 or more 
                        covered legislative branch officials or covered 
                        executive branch officials;
                    ``(H) the date, recipient, and amount of any gift 
                (that under the standing rules of the House of 
                Representatives or Senate counts towards the $100 
                cumulative annual limit described in such rules) valued 
                in excess of $20 given by the lobbyist, the registrant, 
                or a political committee established or administered by 
                the registrant to a covered legislative branch official 
                or covered executive branch official; and
                    ``(I) the name of each Presidential library 
                foundation and Presidential inaugural committee, to 
                whom contributions equal to or exceeding $200 were made 
                by the lobbyist, the registrant, or a political 
                committee established or administered by the registrant 
                within the calendar year, and the date and amount of 
                each such contribution within the quarter.
            ``(2) Rules of construction.--
                    ``(A) In general.--For purposes of this subsection, 
                contributions, donations, or other funds--
                            ``(i) are `collected' by a lobbyist where 
                        funds donated by a person other than the 
                        lobbyist are received by the lobbyist for, or 
                        forwarded by the lobbyist to, a Federal 
                        candidate or other recipient; and
                            ``(ii) are `arranged' by a lobbyist--
                                    ``(I) where there is a formal or 
                                informal agreement, understanding, or 
                                arrangement between the lobbyist and a 
                                Federal candidate or other recipient 
                                that such contributions, donations, or 
                                other funds will be or have been 
                                credited or attributed by the Federal 
                                candidate or other recipient in 
                                records, designations, or formal or 
                                informal recognitions as having been 
                                raised, solicited, or directed by the 
                                lobbyist; or
                                    ``(II) where the lobbyist has 
                                actual knowledge that the Federal 
                                candidate or other recipient is aware 
                                that the contributions, donations, or 
                                other funds were solicited, arranged, 
                                or directed by the lobbyist.
                    ``(B) Clarifications.--For the purposes of this 
                paragraph--
                            ``(i) the term `lobbyist' shall include a 
                        lobbyist, registrant, or political committee 
                        established or administered by the registrant; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) the term `Federal candidate or other 
                        recipient' shall include a Federal candidate, 
                        Federal officeholder, leadership PAC, or 
                        political party committee.
            ``(3) Definitions.--In this subsection, the following 
        definitions shall apply:
                    ``(A) Gift.--The term `gift'--
                            ``(i) means a gratuity, favor, discount, 
                        entertainment, hospitality, loan, forbearance, 
                        or other item having monetary value; and
                            ``(ii) includes, whether provided in kind, 
                        by purchase of a ticket, payment in advance, or 
                        reimbursement after the expense has been 
                        incurred--
                                    ``(I) gifts of services;
                                    ``(II) training;
                                    ``(III) transportation; and
                                    ``(IV) lodging and meals.
                    ``(B) Leadership pac.--The term `leadership PAC' 
                means with respect to an individual holding Federal 
                office, an unauthorized political committee which is 
                associated with an individual holding Federal office, 
                except that such term shall not apply in the case of a 
                political committee of a political party.''.

SEC. 213. ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURE.

    Section 5(b) of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1604(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period and inserting 
        a semicolon; and
            (3) by adding at the end of the following:
            ``(5) for each client, immediately after listing the 
        client, an identification of whether the client is a public 
        entity, including a State or local government or a department, 
        agency, special purpose district, or other instrumentality 
        controlled by a State or local government, or a private 
        entity.''.

SEC. 214. PUBLIC DATABASE OF LOBBYING DISCLOSURE INFORMATION.

    (a) Database Required.--Section 6 of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1605) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (7), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (8), by striking the period and inserting 
        ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(9) maintain, and make available to the public over the 
        Internet, without a fee or other access charge, in a 
        searchable, sortable, and downloadable manner, an electronic 
        database that--
                    ``(A) includes the information contained in 
                registrations and reports filed under this Act;
                    ``(B) directly links the information it contains to 
                the information disclosed in reports filed with the 
                Federal Election Commission under section 304 of the 
                Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 434); 
                and
                    ``(C) is searchable and sortable, at a minimum, by 
                each of the categories of information described in 
                section 4(b) or 5(b).''.
    (b) Availability of Reports.--Section 6(a)(4) of the Act is amended 
by inserting before the semicolon the following: ``and, in the case of 
a report filed in electronic form under section 5(e), shall make such 
report available for public inspection over the Internet not more than 
48 hours after the report is filed''.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out paragraph (9) 
of section 6(a) of the Act, as added by subsection (a).

SEC. 215. DISCLOSURE BY REGISTERED LOBBYISTS OF ALL PAST EXECUTIVE AND 
              CONGRESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT.

    Section 4(b)(6) of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1603) is amended by striking 
``or a covered legislative branch official'' and all that follows 
through ``as a lobbyist on behalf of the client,'' and inserting ``or a 
covered legislative branch official,''.

SEC. 216. INCREASED PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH LOBBYING 
              DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS.

    Section 7 of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1606) is amended by striking 
``$50,000'' and inserting ``$200,000''.

SEC. 217. DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES BY CERTAIN COALITIONS AND 
              ASSOCIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Section 4(b)(3)(B) of the Act (2 U.S.C. 
1603(b)(3)(B)) is amended to read as follows:
                    ``(B) participates in a substantial way in the 
                planning, supervision, or control of such lobbying 
                activities;''.
    (b) No Donor or Membership List Disclosure.--Section 4(b) of the 
Act (2 U.S.C. 1603(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``No disclosure is required under paragraph (3)(B) if it is publicly 
available knowledge that the organization that would be identified is 
affiliated with the client or has been publicly disclosed to have 
provided funding to the client, unless the organization in whole or in 
major part plans, supervises, or controls such lobbying activities. 
Nothing in paragraph (3)(B) shall be construed to require the 
disclosure of any information about individuals who are members of, or 
donors to, an entity treated as a client by this Act or an organization 
identified under that paragraph.''.

SEC. 218. DISCLOSURE OF ENFORCEMENT FOR NONCOMPLIANCE.

    Section 6 of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1605) is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(a)'' before ``The Secretary of the 
        Senate'';
            (2) in paragraph (8), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (3) in paragraph (9), by striking the period and inserting 
        ``; and'';
            (4) after paragraph (9), by inserting the following:
            ``(10) make publicly available the aggregate number of 
        lobbyists and lobbying firms, separately accounted, referred to 
        the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia for 
        noncompliance as required by paragraph (8) on a semi annual 
        basis''; and
            (5) by inserting at the end the following:
    ``(b) Enforcement Report.--The United States Attorney for the 
District of Columbia shall report to the Committee on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on the Judiciary of the 
Senate and the Committee on Government Reform and the Committee on the 
Judiciary of the House of Representatives on a semi annual basis the 
aggregate number of enforcement actions taken by the Attorney's office 
under this Act and the amount of fines, if any, by case, except that 
such report shall not include the names of individuals or personally 
identifiable information.''.

SEC. 219. ELECTRONIC FILING OF LOBBYING DISCLOSURE REPORTS.

    Section 5 of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1604) is amended by adding at the 
end the following:
    ``(e) Electronic Filing Required.--A report required to be filed 
under this section shall be filed in electronic form, in addition to 
any other form. The Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House 
of Representatives shall use the same electronic software for receipt 
and recording of filings under this Act.''.

SEC. 220. ELECTRONIC FILING AND PUBLIC DATABASE FOR LOBBYISTS FOR 
              FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS.

    (a) Electronic Filing.--Section 2 of the Foreign Agents 
Registration Act (22 U.S.C. 612) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subsection:
    ``(g) Electronic Filing of Registration Statements and Updates.--A 
registration statement or update required to be filed under this 
section shall be filed in electronic form, in addition to any other 
form that may be required by the Attorney General.''.
    (b) Public Database.--Section 6 of the Foreign Agents Registration 
Act (22 U.S.C. 616) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:
    ``(d) Public Database of Registration Statements and Updates.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Attorney General shall maintain, and 
        make available to the public over the Internet, without a fee 
        or other access charge, in a searchable, sortable, and 
        downloadable manner, an electronic database that--
                    ``(A) includes the information contained in 
                registration statements and updates filed under this 
                Act;
                    ``(B) directly links the information it contains to 
                the information disclosed in reports filed with the 
                Federal Election Commission under section 304 of the 
                Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 434); 
                and
                    ``(C) is searchable and sortable, at a minimum, by 
                each of the categories of information described in 
                section 2(a).
            ``(2) Accountability.--Each registration statement and 
        update filed in electronic form pursuant to section 2(g) shall 
        be made available for public inspection over the Internet not 
        more than 48 hours after the registration statement or update 
        is filed.''.

SEC. 221. ADDITIONAL LOBBYING DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS.

    Section 5(b) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 
1604(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(8) a certification that the lobbying firm, or 
        registrant, and each employee listed as a lobbyist under 
        section 4(b)(6) or 5(b)(2)(C) for that lobbying firm or 
        registrant, has not provided, requested, or directed a gift, 
        including travel, to a Member or employee of Congress in 
        violation rule XXXV of the Standing Rules of the Senate or rule 
        XXV of the Rules of the House of Representatives.''.

SEC. 222. INCREASED CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH 
              LOBBYING DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS.

    Section 7 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1606) is 
amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(a) Civil Penalty.--'' before 
        ``Whoever''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Criminal Penalty.--Whoever knowingly, willfully, and 
corruptly fails to comply with any provision of this section shall be 
imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or fined under title 18, United 
States Code, or both.''.

SEC. 223. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This subtitle and the amendments made by this subtitle shall take 
effect January 1, 2008.

              Subtitle B--Oversight of Ethics and Lobbying

SEC. 231. COMPTROLLER GENERAL AUDIT AND ANNUAL REPORT.

    (a) Audit Required.--The Comptroller General shall audit on an 
annual basis lobbying registration and reports filed under the Lobbying 
Disclosure Act of 1995 to determine the extent of compliance or 
noncompliance with the requirements of that Act by lobbyists and their 
clients.
    (b) Annual Reports.--Not later than April 1 of each year, the 
Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on the review 
required by subsection (a). The report shall include the Comptroller 
General's assessment of the matters required to be emphasized by that 
subsection and any recommendations of the Comptroller General to--
            (1) improve the compliance by lobbyists with the 
        requirements of that Act; and
            (2) provide the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of 
        the House of Representatives with the resources and authorities 
        needed for effective administration of that Act.

SEC. 232. MANDATORY SENATE ETHICS TRAINING FOR MEMBERS AND STAFF.

    (a) Training Program.--The Select Committee on Ethics shall conduct 
ongoing ethics training and awareness programs for Members of the 
Senate and Senate staff.
    (b) Requirements.--The ethics training program conducted by the 
Select Committee on Ethics shall be completed by--
            (1) new Senators or staff not later than 60 days after 
        commencing service or employment; and
            (2) Senators and Senate staff serving or employed on the 
        date of enactment of this Act not later than 120 days after the 
        date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 233. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING SELF-REGULATION WITHIN THE 
              LOBBYING COMMUNITY.

    It is the sense of the Senate that the lobbying community should 
develop proposals for multiple self-regulatory organizations which 
could provide--
            (1) for the creation of standards for the organizations 
        appropriate to the type of lobbying and individuals to be 
        served;
            (2) training for the lobbying community on law, ethics, 
        reporting requirements, and disclosure requirements;
            (3) for the development of educational materials for the 
        public on how to responsibly hire a lobbyist or lobby firm;
            (4) standards regarding reasonable fees to clients;
            (5) for the creation of a third-party certification program 
        that includes ethics training; and
            (6) for disclosure of requirements to clients regarding fee 
        schedules and conflict of interest rules.

SEC. 234. ANNUAL ETHICS COMMITTEES REPORTS.

    The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of the House of 
Representatives and the Select Committee on Ethics of the Senate shall 
each issue an annual report due no later than January 31, describing 
the following:
            (1) The number of alleged violations of Senate or House 
        rules including the number received from third parties, from 
        Members or staff within each House, or inquires raised by a 
        Member or staff of the respective House or Senate committee.
            (2) A list of the number of alleged violations that were 
        dismissed--
                    (A) for lack of subject matter jurisdiction; or
                    (B) because they failed to provide sufficient facts 
                as to any material violation of the House or Senate 
                rules beyond mere allegation or assertion.
            (3) The number of complaints in which the committee staff 
        conducted a preliminary inquiry.
            (4) The number of complaints that staff presented to the 
        committee with recommendations that the complaint be dismissed.
            (5) The number of complaints that the staff presented to 
        the committee with recommendation that the investigation 
        proceed.
            (6) The number of ongoing inquiries.
            (7) The number of complaints that the committee dismissed 
        for lack of substantial merit.
            (8) The number of private letters of admonition or public 
        letters of admonition issued.
            (9) The number of matters resulting in a disciplinary 
        sanction.

                 Subtitle C--Slowing the Revolving Door

SEC. 241. AMENDMENTS TO RESTRICTIONS ON FORMER OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AND 
              ELECTED OFFICIALS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE 
              BRANCHES.

    (a) Very Senior Executive Personnel.--The matter after subparagraph 
(C) in section 207(d)(1) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``within 1 year'' and inserting ``within 2 years''.
    (b) Restrictions on Lobbying by Members of Congress and Employees 
of Congress.--Subsection (e) of section 207 of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ``within 1 year'' and 
        inserting ``within 2 years'';
            (2) by striking paragraphs (2) through (5) and inserting 
        the following:
            ``(2) Congressional staff.--
                    ``(A) Prohibition.--Any person who is an employee 
                of a House of Congress and who, within 1 year after 
                that person leaves office, knowingly makes, with the 
                intent to influence, any communication to or appearance 
                before any of the persons described in subparagraph 
                (B), on behalf of any other person (except the United 
                States) in connection with any matter on which such 
                former employee seeks action by a Member, officer, or 
                employee of either House of Congress, in his or her 
                official capacity, shall be punished as provided in 
                section 216 of this title.
                    ``(B) Contact persons covered.--Persons referred to 
                in subparagraph (A) with respect to appearances or 
                communications are any Member, officer, or employee of 
                the House of Congress in which the person subject to 
                subparagraph (A) was employed. This subparagraph shall 
                not apply to contacts with staff of the Secretary of 
                the Senate or the Clerk of the House of Representatives 
                regarding compliance with lobbying disclosure 
                requirements under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.
            ``(3) Members of congress and elected officers.--Any person 
        who is a Member of Congress or an elected officer of either 
        House of Congress and who, within 2 years after that person 
        leaves office, knowingly engages in lobbying activities on 
        behalf of any other person (except the United States) in 
        connection with any matter on which such former Member of 
        Congress or elected officer seeks action by a Member, officer, 
        or employee of either House of Congress shall be punished as 
        provided in section 216 of this title.''.
            (3) in paragraph (6)--
                    (A) by striking ``paragraphs (2), (3), and (4)'' 
                and inserting ``paragraph (2)'';
                    (B) by striking ``(A)'';
                    (C) by striking subparagraph (B); and
                    (D) by redesignating the paragraph as paragraph 
                (4); and
            (4) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (5).
    (c) Definition of Lobbying Activity.--Section 207(i) of title 18, 
United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period and inserting 
        ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) the term `lobbying activities' has the same meaning 
        given such term in section 3(7) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act 
        (2 U.S.C. 1602(7)).''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (b) shall 
take effect 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act.

    Subtitle D--Ban on Provision of Gifts or Travel by Lobbyists in 
                   Violation of the Rules of Congress

SEC. 251. PROHIBITION ON PROVISION OF GIFTS OR TRAVEL BY REGISTERED 
              LOBBYISTS TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND TO CONGRESSIONAL 
              EMPLOYEES.

    The Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 is amended by adding at the end 
the following:

``SEC. 25. PROHIBITION ON PROVISION OF GIFTS OR TRAVEL BY REGISTERED 
              LOBBYISTS TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND TO CONGRESSIONAL 
              EMPLOYEES.

    ``(a) Prohibition.--Persons described in subsection (b) may not 
make a gift or provide travel to a Member, Delegate, Resident 
Commissioner, officer, or employee of Congress, if the person has 
knowledge that the gift or travel may not be accepted under the rules 
of the House of Representatives or the Senate.
    ``(b) Persons Subject to Prohibition.--The persons subject to the 
prohibition in subsection (a) are any lobbyist that registers under 
section 4(a)(1), any organization that employs 1 or more lobbyists and 
registers under section 4(a)(2), and any employee listed as a lobbyist 
by a registrant under section 4(b)(6).
    ``(c) Penalty.--Any person who violates this section shall be 
subject to the penalties provided in section 7.''.

Subtitle E--Commission to Strengthen Confidence in Congress Act of 2007

SEC. 261. SHORT TITLE.

    This subtitle may be cited as the ``Commission to Strengthen 
Confidence in Congress Act of 2007''.

SEC. 262. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    There is established in the legislative branch a commission to be 
known as the ``Commission to Strengthen Confidence in Congress'' (in 
this subtitle referred to as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 263. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of the Commission are to--
            (1) evaluate and report the effectiveness of current 
        congressional ethics requirements, if penalties are enforced 
        and sufficient, and make recommendations for new penalties;
            (2) weigh the need for improved ethical conduct with the 
        need for lawmakers to have access to expertise on public policy 
        issues;
            (3) determine whether the current system for enforcing 
        ethics rules and standards of conduct is sufficiently effective 
        and transparent;
            (4) determine whether the statutory framework governing 
        lobbying disclosure should be expanded to include additional 
        means of attempting to influence Members of Congress, senior 
        staff, and high-ranking executive branch officials;
            (5) analyze and evaluate the changes made by this Act to 
        determine whether additional changes need to be made to uphold 
        and enforce standards of ethical conduct and disclosure 
        requirements; and
            (6) investigate and report to Congress on its findings, 
        conclusions, and recommendations for reform.

SEC. 264. COMPOSITION OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Members.--The Commission shall be composed of 10 members, of 
whom--
            (1) the chair and vice chair shall be selected by agreement 
        of the majority leader and minority leader of the House of 
        Representatives and the majority leader and minority leader of 
        the Senate;
            (2) 2 members shall be appointed by the senior member of 
        the Senate leadership of the Republican Party, 1 of which is a 
        former member of the Senate;
            (3) 2 members shall be appointed by the senior member of 
        the Senate leadership of the Democratic Party, 1 of which is a 
        former member of the Senate;
            (4) 2 members shall be appointed by the senior member of 
        the leadership of the House of Representatives of the 
        Republican Party, 1 of which is a former member of the House of 
        Representatives; and
            (5) 2 members shall be appointed by the senior member of 
        the leadership of the House of Representatives of the 
        Democratic Party, 1 of which is a former member of the House of 
        Representatives.
    (b) Qualifications; Initial Meeting.--
            (1) Political party affiliation.--Five members of the 
        Commission shall be Democrats and 5 Republicans.
            (2) Nongovernmental appointees.--An individual appointed to 
        the Commission may not be an officer or employee of the Federal 
        Government or any State or local government.
            (3) Other qualifications.--It is the sense of Congress that 
        individuals appointed to the Commission should be prominent 
        United States citizens, with national recognition and 
        significant depth of experience in professions such as 
        governmental service, government consulting, government 
        contracting, the law, higher education, historian, business, 
        public relations, and fundraising.
            (4) Deadline for appointment.--All members of the 
        Commission shall be appointed on a date 3 months after the date 
        of enactment of this Act.
            (5) Initial meeting.--The Commission shall meet and begin 
        the operations of the Commission as soon as practicable.
    (c) Quorum; Vacancies.--After its initial meeting, the Commission 
shall meet upon the call of the chairman or a majority of its members. 
Six members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum. Any vacancy in 
the Commission shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the 
same manner in which the original appointment was made.

SEC. 265. FUNCTIONS OF COMMISSION.

    The functions of the Commission are to submit to Congress a report 
required by this title containing such findings, conclusions, and 
recommendations as the Commission shall determine, including proposing 
organization, coordination, planning, management arrangements, 
procedures, rules and regulations--
            (1) related to section 263; or
            (2) related to any other areas the commission unanimously 
        votes to be relevant to its mandate to recommend reforms to 
        strengthen ethical safeguards in Congress.

SEC. 266. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings and Evidence.--The Commission or, on the authority of 
the Commission, any subcommittee or member thereof, may, for the 
purpose of carrying out this title hold such hearings and sit and act 
at such times and places, take such testimony, receive such evidence, 
administer such oaths.
    (b) Obtaining Information.--Upon request of the Commission, the 
head of any agency or instrumentality of the Federal Government shall 
furnish information deemed necessary by the panel to enable it to carry 
out its duties.
    (c) Limit on Commission Authority.--The Commission shall not 
conduct any law enforcement investigation, function as a court of law, 
or otherwise usurp the duties and responsibilities of the ethics 
committee of the House of Representatives or the Senate.

SEC. 267. ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) Compensation.--Except as provided in subsection (b), members of 
the Commission shall receive no additional pay, allowances, or benefits 
by reason of their service on the Commission.
    (b) Travel Expenses and Per Diem.--Each member of the Commission 
shall receive travel expenses and per diem in lieu of subsistence in 
accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
    (c) Staff and Support Services.--
            (1) Staff director.--
                    (A) Appointment.--The Chair (or Co-Chairs) in 
                accordance with the rules agreed upon by the Commission 
                shall appoint a staff director for the Commission.
                    (B) Compensation.--The staff director shall be paid 
                at a rate not to exceed the rate established for level 
                V of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 
                5, United States Code.
            (2) Staff.--The Chair (or Co-Chairs) in accordance with the 
        rules agreed upon by the Commission shall appoint such 
        additional personnel as the Commission determines to be 
        necessary.
            (3) Applicability of civil service laws.--The staff 
        director and other members of the staff of the Commission shall 
        be appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, 
        United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive 
        service, and shall be paid without regard to the provisions of 
        chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title 
        relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates.
            (4) Experts and consultants.--With the approval of the 
        Commission, the staff director may procure temporary and 
        intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United 
        States Code.
    (d) Physical Facilities.--The Architect of the Capitol, in 
consultation with the appropriate entities in the legislative branch, 
shall locate and provide suitable office space for the operation of the 
Commission on a nonreimbursable basis. The facilities shall serve as 
the headquarters of the Commission and shall include all necessary 
equipment and incidentals required for the proper functioning of the 
Commission.
    (e) Administrative Support Services and Other Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--Upon the request of the Commission, the 
        Architect of the Capitol and the Administrator of General 
        Services shall provide to the Commission on a nonreimbursable 
        basis such administrative support services as the Commission 
        may request.
            (2) Additional support.--In addition to the assistance set 
        forth in paragraph (1), departments and agencies of the United 
        States may provide the Commission such services, funds, 
        facilities, staff, and other support services as the Commission 
        may deem advisable and as may be authorized by law.
    (f) Use of Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails 
in the same manner and under the same conditions as Federal agencies 
and shall, for purposes of the frank, be considered a commission of 
Congress as described in section 3215 of title 39, United States Code.
    (g) Printing.--For purposes of costs relating to printing and 
binding, including the cost of personnel detailed from the Government 
Printing Office, the Commission shall be deemed to be a committee of 
the Congress.

SEC. 268. SECURITY CLEARANCES FOR COMMISSION MEMBERS AND STAFF.

    The appropriate Federal agencies or departments shall cooperate 
with the Commission in expeditiously providing to the Commission 
members and staff appropriate security clearances to the extent 
possible pursuant to existing procedures and requirements, except that 
no person shall be provided with access to classified information under 
this title without the appropriate security clearances.

SEC. 269. COMMISSION REPORTS; TERMINATION.

    (a) Annual Reports.--The Commission shall submit--
            (1) an initial report to Congress not later than July 1, 
        2007; and
            (2) annual reports to Congress after the report required by 
        paragraph (1);
containing such findings, conclusions, and recommendations for 
corrective measures as have been agreed to by a majority of Commission 
members.
    (b) Report Regarding Political Contributions.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit a report to 
        Congress detailing the number, type, and quantity of 
        contributions made to Members of the Senate or the House of 
        Representatives during the 30-month period beginning on the 
        date that is 24 months before the date of enactment of the Acts 
        identified in paragraph (2) by the corresponding organizations 
        identified in paragraph (2).
            (2) Organizations and acts.--The report submitted under 
        paragraph (1) shall detail the number, type, and quantity of 
        contributions made to Members of the Senate or the House of 
        Representatives as follows:
                    (A) For the Medicare Prescription Drug, 
                Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (Public Law 
                108-173; 117 Stat. 2066), any contribution made during 
                the time period described in paragraph (1) by or on 
                behalf of a political action committee associated or 
                affiliated with--
                            (i) a pharmaceutical company; or
                            (ii) a trade association for pharmaceutical 
                        companies.
                    (B) For the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and 
                Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-8; 119 
                Stat. 23), any contribution made during the time period 
                described in paragraph (1) by or on behalf of a 
                political action committee associated or affiliated 
                with--
                            (i) a bank or financial services company;
                            (ii) a company in the credit card industry; 
                        or
                            (iii) a trade association for any such 
                        companies.
                    (C) For the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Public Law 
                109-58; 119 Stat. 594), any contribution made during 
                the time period described in paragraph (1) by or on 
                behalf of a political action committee associated or 
                affiliated with--
                            (i) a company in the oil, natural gas, 
                        nuclear, or coal industry; or
                            (ii) a trade association for any such 
                        companies.
                    (D) For the Dominican Republic-Central America-
                United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act 
                (Public Law 109-53; 119 Stat. 462), any contribution 
                made during the time period described in paragraph (1) 
                by or on behalf of a political action committee 
                associated or affiliated with--
                            (i) the United States Chamber of Commerce, 
                        the National Association of Manufacturers, the 
                        Business Roundtable, the National Federation of 
                        Independent Business, the Emergency Committee 
                        for American Trade, or any member company of 
                        such entities; or
                            (ii) any other free trade organization 
                        funded primarily by corporate entities.
            (3) Aggregate reporting.--The report submitted under 
        paragraph (1)--
                    (A) shall not list the particular Member of the 
                Senate or House of Representative that received a 
                contribution; and
                    (B) shall report the aggregate amount of 
                contributions given by each entity identified in 
                paragraph (2) to--
                            (i) Members of the Senate during the time 
                        period described in paragraph (1) for the 
                        corresponding Act identified in paragraph (2); 
                        and
                            (ii) Members of the House of 
                        Representatives during the time period 
                        described in paragraph (1) for the 
                        corresponding Act identified in paragraph (2).
            (4) Definitions.--In this subsection--
                    (A) the terms ``authorized committee'', 
                ``candidate'', ``contribution'', ``political 
                committee'', and ``political party'' have the meanings 
                given such terms in section 301 of the Federal Election 
                Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431); and
                    (B) the term ``political action committee'' means 
                any political committee that is not--
                            (i) a political committee of a political 
                        party; or
                            (ii) an authorized committee of a 
                        candidate.
    (c) Administrative Activities.--During the 60-day period beginning 
on the date of submission of each annual report and the final report 
under this section, the Commission shall--
            (1) be available to provide testimony to committees of 
        Congress concerning such reports; and
            (2) take action to appropriately disseminate such reports.
    (d) Termination of Commission.--
            (1) Final report.--Five years after the date of enactment 
        of this Act, the Commission shall submit to Congress a final 
        report containing information described in subsection (a).
            (2) Termination.--The Commission, and all the authorities 
        of this title, shall terminate 60 days after the date on which 
        the final report is submitted under paragraph (1), and the 
        Commission may use such 60-day period for the purpose of 
        concluding its activities.

SEC. 270. FUNDING.

    There are authorized such sums as necessary to carry out this 
title.

            TITLE III--CONGRESSIONAL PENSION ACCOUNTABILITY

SEC. 301. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``Congressional Pension 
Accountability Act''.

SEC. 302. DENIAL OF RETIREMENT BENEFITS.

    (a) In General.--Section 8312(a) of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``or'' at the end of paragraph (1), by 
        striking the period at the end of paragraph (2) and inserting 
        ``; or'', and by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
            ``(3) was convicted of an offense described in subsection 
        (d), to the extent provided by that subsection.''; and
            (2) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (A), by 
        striking the period at the end of subparagraph (B) and 
        inserting ``; and'', and by inserting after subparagraph (B) 
        the following:
            ``(C) with respect to the offenses described in subsection 
        (d), to the period after the date of conviction.''.
    (b) Offenses Described.--Section 8312 of such title 5 is amended by 
redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e), and by inserting after 
subsection (c) the following:
    ``(d) The offenses to which subsection (a)(3) applies are the 
following:
            ``(1) An offense within the purview of--
                    ``(A) section 201 of title 18 (bribery of public 
                officials and witnesses); or
                    ``(B) section 371 of title 18 (conspiracy to commit 
                offense or to defraud United States), to the extent of 
                any conspiracy to commit an act which constitutes an 
                offense within the purview of such section 201.
            ``(2) Perjury committed under the statutes of the United 
        States or the District of Columbia in falsely denying the 
        commission of any act which constitutes an offense within the 
        purview of a statute named by paragraph (1), but only in the 
        case of the statute named by subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1).
            ``(3) Subornation of perjury committed in connection with 
        the false denial or false testimony of another individual as 
        specified by paragraph (2).
An offense shall not be considered to be an offense described in this 
subsection except if or to the extent that it is committed by a Member 
of Congress (as defined by section 2106, including a Delegate to 
Congress).''.
    (c) Absence From United States To Avoid Prosecution.--Section 
8313(a)(1) of such title 5 is amended by striking ``or'' at the end of 
subparagraph (A), by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (B) 
and inserting ``or'', and by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) for an offense described under subsection (d) 
                of section 8312; and''.
    (d) Nonaccrual of Interest on Refunds.--Section 8316(b) of such 
title 5 is amended by striking ``or'' at the end of paragraph (1), by 
striking the period at the end of paragraph (2) and inserting ``; or'', 
and by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) if the individual was convicted of an offense 
        described in section 8312(d), for the period after the 
        conviction.''.

SEC. 303. CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY.

    The Constitutional authority for this title is the power of 
Congress to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper as 
enumerated in Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution, 
and the power to ascertain compensation for Congressional service under 
Article I, Section 6 of the United States Constitution.

SEC. 304. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This title, including the amendments made by this title, shall take 
effect on January 1, 2009 and shall apply with respect to convictions 
for offenses committed on or after the date of enactment of this Act.

                      TITLE IV--GENERAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 401. KNOWING AND WILLFUL FALSIFICATION OR FAILURE TO REPORT.

    Section 104(a) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. 
App.) is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``(a)'';
            (2) in paragraph (1), as so designated, by striking 
        ``$10,000'' and inserting ``$50,000''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(2)(A) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly and 
willfully falsify, or to knowingly and willingly fails to file or 
report, any information that such person is required to report under 
section 102.
    ``(B) Any person who violates subparagraph (A) shall be fined under 
title 18, United States Code, imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or 
both.''.

SEC. 402. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF SENATE COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEE 
              MEETINGS.

    (a) In General.--Paragraph 5(e) of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules 
of the Senate is amended by--
            (1) by inserting after ``(e)'' the following: ``(1)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(2) Except with respect to meetings closed in accordance with 
this rule, each committee and subcommittee shall make publicly 
available through the Internet a video recording, audio recording, or 
transcript of any meeting not later than 14 business days after the 
meeting occurs.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect October 1, 
2007.

SEC. 403. FREE ATTENDANCE AT A BONA FIDE CONSTITUENT EVENT.

    (a) In General.--Paragraph 1(c) of rule XXXV of the Senate Rules is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(24) Subject to the restrictions in subparagraph (a)(2), 
        free attendance at a bona fide constituent event permitted 
        pursuant to subparagraph (h).''.
    (b) In General.--Paragraph 1 of rule XXXV of the Senate Rules is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(h)(1) A Member, officer, or employee may accept an offer 
        of free attendance in the Member's home State at a convention, 
        conference, symposium, forum, panel discussion, dinner event, 
        site visit, viewing, reception, or similar event, provided by a 
        sponsor of the event, if--
                    ``(A) the cost of meals provided the Member, 
                officer or employee does not exceed $50;
                    ``(B)(i) the event is sponsored by bona fide 
                constituents of, or a group that consists primarily of 
                bona fide constituents of, the Member (or the Member by 
                whom the officer or employee is employed); and
                    ``(ii) the event will be attended primarily by a 
                group of at least 5 bona fide constituents of the 
                Member (or the Member by whom the officer or employee 
                is employed) provided that an individual registered to 
                lobby under the Federal Lobbying Disclosure Act shall 
                not attend the event; and
                    ``(C)(i) the Member, officer, or employee 
                participates in the event as a speaker or a panel 
                participant, by presenting information related to 
                Congress or matters before Congress, or by performing a 
                ceremonial function appropriate to the Member's, 
                officer's, or employee's official position; or
                    ``(ii) attendance at the event is appropriate to 
                the performance of the official duties or 
                representative function of the Member, officer, or 
                employee.
            ``(2) A Member, officer, or employee who attends an event 
        described in clause (1) may accept a sponsor's unsolicited 
        offer of free attendance at the event for an accompanying 
        individual if others in attendance will generally be similarly 
        accompanied or if such attendance is appropriate to assist in 
        the representation of the Senate.
            ``(3) For purposes of this paragraph, the term `free 
        attendance' has the same meaning as in subparagraph (d).

SEC. 404. PROHIBITION ON FINANCIAL GAIN FROM EARMARKS BY MEMBERS, 
              IMMEDIATE FAMILY OF MEMBERS, STAFF OF MEMBERS, OR 
              IMMEDIATE FAMILY OF STAFF OF MEMBERS.

    Rule XXXVII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
    ``15. (a) No Member shall use his official position to introduce, 
request, or otherwise aid the progress or passage of a congressional 
earmark that will financially benefit or otherwise further the 
pecuniary interest of such Member, the spouse of such Member, the 
immediate family member of such Member, any employee on the staff of 
such Member, the spouse of an employee on the staff of such Member, or 
immediate family member of an employee on the staff of such Member.
    ``(b) For purposes of this paragraph--
            ``(1) the term `immediate family member' means the son, 
        daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, 
        mother, father, stepmother, stepfather, mother-in-law, father-
        in-law, brother, sister, stepbrother, or stepsister of a Member 
        or any employee on the staff (including staff in personal, 
        committee and leadership offices) of a Member; and
            ``(2) the term `congressional earmark' means--
                    ``(A) a provision or report language included 
                primarily at the request of a Member, Delegate, 
                Resident Commissioner, or Senator providing, 
                authorizing or recommending a specific amount of 
                discretionary budget authority, credit authority, or 
                other spending authority for a contract, loan, loan 
                guarantee, grant, loan authority, or other expenditure 
                with or to an entity, or targeted to a specific State, 
                locality or Congressional district, other than through 
                a statutory or administrative formula-driven or 
                competitive award process;
                    ``(B) any revenue-losing provision that--
                            ``(i) provides a Federal tax deduction, 
                        credit, exclusion, or preference to 10 or fewer 
                        beneficiaries under the Internal Revenue Code 
                        of 1986; and
                            ``(ii) contains eligibility criteria that 
                        are not uniform in application with respect to 
                        potential beneficiaries of such provision;
                    ``(C) any Federal tax provision which provides one 
                beneficiary temporary or permanent transition relief 
                from a change to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
                    ``(D) any provision modifying the Harmonized Tariff 
                Schedule of the United States in a manner that benefits 
                10 or fewer entities.''.

SEC. 405. AMENDMENTS AND MOTIONS TO RECOMMIT.

    Paragraph 1 of Rule XV of the Standing Rules of the Senate is 
amended to read as follows:
            ``1. (a) An amendment and any instruction accompanying a 
        motion to recommit shall be reduced to writing and read and 
        identical copies shall be provided by the Senator offering the 
        amendment or instruction to the desks of the Majority Leader 
        and the Minority Leader before being debated.
            ``(b) A motion shall be reduced to writing, if desired by 
        the Presiding Officer or by any Senator, and shall be read 
        before being debated.''.

SEC. 406. CONGRESSIONAL TRAVEL PUBLIC WEBSITE.

    (a) In General.--Not later than January 1, 2008, the Secretary of 
the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives shall each 
establish a publicly available website without fee or without access 
charge, that contains information on all officially related 
congressional travel that is subject to disclosure under the gift rules 
of the Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively, that 
includes--
            (1) a search engine;
            (2) uniform categorization by Member, dates of travel, and 
        any other common categories associated with congressional 
        travel; and
            (3) all forms filed in the Senate and the House of 
        Representatives relating to officially-related travel referred 
        to in paragraph (2), including the ``Disclosure of Member or 
        Officer's Reimbursed Travel Expenses'' form in the Senate.
    (b) Extension Authority.--If the Secretary of the Senate or the 
Clerk of the House of Representatives is unable to meet the deadline 
established under subsection (a), the Committee on Rules and 
Administration of the Senate or the Committee on Rules of the House of 
Representatives may grant an extension of such date for the Secretary 
of the Senate or the Clerk of the House of Representatives, 
respectively.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.

            Passed the Senate January 18, 2007.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
110th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                  S. 1

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

      To provide greater transparency in the legislative process.