[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 120 (Monday, July 24, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10511-S10512]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            LOBBYING REFORM

  Mr. FORD. Mr. President, for several days in the last few weeks, we 
have attempted, as a bipartisan group, to develop an agreement, which 
we have been able to come close to on lobbying reform, but not very 
close on the so-called gift ban.
  One of the insistences we had from the other side was that we start 
at 9 o'clock this morning--that we start at 9 o'clock this morning. 
Here we are at 9:35, and we see no one here, and they are refusing to 
come, do not want Members to lay anything down, do not want Members to 
talk, unless we do it in morning business.
  Now, Mr. President, it seems, if you are going to insist on 
something, you ought to be part of the agreement. We find that this is 
happening too much of the time. I do not like to be here at 9 o'clock 
on Monday morning any more than anyone else. We are here. We are 
prepared. We are ready. So, where is the other side?
  Mr. President, I think it behooves all Members, if we are going to 
start, if we want to start, we ought to do it at the time we agreed 
upon. I have already had my cup of coffee, as I am sure the Presiding 
Officer has. He did his swims this morning, his pushups, and he is here 
ready to go, but we are sitting here.
  My statement has brought both doors open on the other side. That 
delights this Senator very much. So, after 35 minutes of pleading that 
we want someone here to start debate, which was insisted upon, I hope 
that we can start and not force this side to come when the other side 
does not appear.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Kyl). The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I would like to start the debate in a 
positive 

[[Page S10512]]
way. There have been a lot of conversations going back and forth by 
both Senators on both sides of the aisle, Senators interested in 
lobbying reform legislation and gift rule changes. I think we have made 
progress. I felt like everything was going in a positive way.
  We did come in right at 9 o'clock. Ordinarily, there is at least a 
Senator or two waiting, ready to make some comment in morning business. 
This morning we did not have them. We have one key Senator who is going 
to need to be involved in this discussion, Senator McConnell, who is on 
his way, I believe, from the airport. So I think it is important that 
we begin with an open and positive debate and that we not start making 
accusations.
  I know that the Senator from Kentucky has been working very hard. He 
is here ready to go. I am ready to go. I suggest, Mr. President, that 
we go ahead and begin the debate, sort of set out the basic parameters 
of where we are and move forward. We may have some amendments that will 
need to be offered. Some will be agreed to, I am sure, on lobbying 
reform. Our hope is that we can have genuine reform.
  Personally, this Senator feels we need to tighten up the rules with 
regard to lobbying disclosure. I have always said we should err on the 
side of disclosure. Now, what is included in that disclosure is very 
important. It is not just technical language.
  We need to make sure that it does not chill the ability of individual 
citizens at the grassroots level to talk with their Senators or their 
Congressmen. It is applicable to both bodies. I think that the concerns 
that we had in that area last year have been addressed, and everybody 
feels now grassroots lobbying by individual citizens, certainly, would 
be allowed under this legislation.
  We need also to make sure it does not just become a paperwork 
nightmare. We need reasonable, logical reporting. I think we are moving 
in that direction.
  Mr. President, I suggest we go ahead and begin with opening 
statements. I am sure that the Senator from Michigan would like to make 
an opening statement. We will take it from there.

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