[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 119 (Friday, July 21, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10475-S10476]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


               THE LOBBYING DISCLOSURE AND GIFT BAN BILL

  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I just want to provide a very brief 
analysis to people in our country about a very important reform bill 
that is going to be coming to the floor on Monday, the lobbying 
disclosure and gift ban legislation, S. 101.
  Mr. President, we will start the debate, and actually each section of 
lobbying disclosure and gift ban will be taken up separately. There is 
no question in my mind, Mr. President, that people in our country yearn 
for a political process that they believe in, and there is no question 
in my mind that people in our country--in Minnesota, Idaho, 
Massachusetts, all across the Nation--really want to see an open, 
honest, accountable political process. There are several critical 
ingredients to this, and two are certainly lobbying disclosure--Senator 
Levin has been an extremely capable legislator in taking the lead in 
this area, with Senator Cohen--and also the gift ban. Senator Feingold, 
Senator Levin, Senator Lautenberg, and myself have all been very 
active.
  The reason I come to the floor is that there is a development people 
ought to know about--an attempted substitute bill. This will be a 
McConnell-Dole initiative. Mr. President, I think people need to know 
about this initiative because I think it represents not a step forward 
but a huge leap backward.
  Mr. President, this substitute bill is full of enough loopholes for 
many huge trucks to drive through. To give but just a few examples, 
lobbyists would be able to take you or me out to dinner one night, as 
long as it is anything under $100; the next time, maybe we could be 
taken to a Bullets game; the next time, we could go to an Orioles game; 
the next time, we would just be given a gift. It goes on and on and on, 
and there is no aggregation limit.
  Actually, it is not per day but per occasion. Lobbyists, three times 
a day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but take us out as long as it is 
under $100 or give us some other gift, as many times as this lobbyist 
wanted to. It never would be counted and never would be disclosed. This 
is not comprehensive, sweeping gift ban legislation.
  Second, to give but another example, the whole issue of charitable 
travel. I think it is important that Senators and Representatives, when 
they care about a charity, travel to an event. We should be there to 
support it. But to 

[[Page S10476]]
have lobbyists pay for Members to be there with our spouses and with 
our families--and, by the way, playing golf and tennis at the same 
time--is inappropriate.
  We ought to be letting go of this. I do not understand why Senators, 
regardless of their party, do not understand that if we want people to 
believe in the political process, and we do not want to see bashing of 
public service, we all believe in public service, we ought to let go of 
this.
  This Dole-McConnell initiative, again, has a huge loophole. Likewise, 
Senators can set up legal defense funds and lobbyists can make 
contributions to those defense funds. That was prohibited in the 
original bill that we passed. Likewise, Senators can ask lobbyists to 
make contributions to different foundations. That was prohibited. 
Likewise, Senators can set up contributions and have lobbyists 
contribute money.
  Mr. President, this is not reform. This is not a step forward. This 
is a step backward. This is an attempt to make an end run around 
reform. I just want people in the country to know about it. I do not 
understand what happened between last year and this year.
  Last year, before the November election, the Senate voted 95-4 for 
the gift ban legislation, virtually identical to S. 101. Mr. President, 
85 of those who voted for the measure have returned to the Senate. 
Three new Senators voted for a similar gift ban in the House. Now we 
see this effort to essentially eviscerate--if that is the right word--
reform through this, through this measure to be introduced as a 
substitute by Senator McConnell and Senator Dole which, quite frankly, 
is unconscionable. It passes no credibility test.
  Mr. President, last October 5, the majority leader said, ``I support 
gift ban provisions. No lobbyist lunches, no entertainment, no travel, 
no contributions to legal defense funds, no fruit baskets, no 
nothing.''
  What has happened? Mr. President, I just come to the floor because I 
want people in the country to know about this. The debate starts 
Monday. I think, given this substitute that I gather is going to be 
laid out sometime on the floor--no question but it will--there is going 
to be, I think, really a historic, very intense debate, because 99.9999 
percent of the people want comprehensive gift ban reform. That is what 
I think many are determined to make happen.
  I yield the floor.
  Mrs. KASSEBAUM. Mr. President, in response to the Senator from 
Minnesota, I say I am sure there will be a thorough debate once the 
facts of the legislation are down and before the Senate. I think we all 
share some similar goals.


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