[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 137 (Wednesday, September 6, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H8548-H8549]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                      LOBBY REFORM AND A GIFT BAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Doggett] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to accept the challenge of the 


[[Page H 8549]]
last speaker, the gentleman from California. If he does not see enough 
lobbyists on the floor of this Congress or at the edges of this 
Congress, it is because in too many cases this new Republican Congress, 
instead of moving along fast enough, has moved along too slowly and has 
actually turned over the operation of some of the key parts of this 
Congress to the lobbyists.
  In one case, in which I personally observed, the staff attorney for 
our committee was unable to respond to questions from members of the 
committee without turning over his shoulder and getting the answers 
from the lobbyists for the bill that was under consideration.
  In one committee, the new Republican majority staff actually turned 
over computers, paid for with public expense, to the lobbyists who were 
writing the legislation. In another committee, a Republican lobbyist 
actually took the dais along with the Members of Congress that were 
considering the measure.
  In fact, it has gotten so bad, a recent column in the Wall Street 
Journal was entitled ``Special Interest or Feasting at the 
Congressional Trough.'' It is because we have not made enough progress 
in controlling lobby domination of this Congress and continued to not 
have sufficient change in this Congress that it is important today that 
opportunity has actually knocked a second time.
  Mr. Speaker, thanks to the leadership, to the continued leadership of 
my colleague and friend, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Bryant], who 
spoke a few minutes earlier, we will have an opportunity today to 
consider again lobby reform and a gift ban. The first time that 
opportunity knocked at this Congress was that old Congress last year, 
and the Congress responded at that time in a bipartisan response, 
almost a three to one vote, in favor of a gift ban backed by 
Congressman Bryant.
  Today we will have an opportunity to consider a similar measure as 
opportunity knocks a second time. It is time that this Congress 
accepted that opportunity; and, indeed, Members on both sides of the 
aisle have said they want a gift ban. In October 1994, last year, on 
``Meet the Press.'' then-Congressman Newt Gingrich said, I quote, ``I 
am prepared to pass a bill that bans lobbyists from dealing with 
Members of Congress in terms of gifts.''
  Unfortunately, Mr. Gingrich did not say when he was prepared to pass 
that bill, but the when should be now. It should be today.
  Since 1994, the Senate has, this summer, approved the very type of 
gift ban measure that it killed last year. It has approved a measure to 
plug the loopholes in an almost 50 year old lobby registration act, and 
it has approved a gift ban that is quite similar to that that 
Congressman Bryant offered last year. It is long past time, in view of 
that Senate action, for this House to act and send a message to those 
who come bearing gifts and bearing golf junkets, that things have 
really, in fact, changed in this Congress.
  It is time to let the people back home, whom we represent, know that 
our standard of integrity is high and that we are committed to 
seriously and diligently working to support the public interest, not 
just the interest with the person who has got the largest charge limit 
on their gold card.
  Yes, Congressman Gingrich said he was prepared to
   pass a gift ban, but where is Speaker Gingrich on this issue? Well, 
we need look no further than the words again on ``Meet the Press'' in 
July, just after the Senate passed the measure this summer of the 
Republican majority leader Dick Armey, and he said, and I quote:

       I intend to get a gift ban as soon as we can, but we are 
     going to attend to the Nation's business first. When we have 
     an opportunity, when there is room on the schedule, I want 
     that up, but I am not sure I will find time this year.

  I would submit that the gentleman has got the priorities all 
backward. How is it that we are ever going to get to a fair 
consideration of the Nation's business unless we have reformed our 
lobby and gift provisions to assure that the Nation's business is 
really the business of the people of this country rather than the 
special interests who have enjoyed too much power here in the Nation's 
Capital.
  Yes, these Republican leaders talk and talk of gift ban and lobby 
reform, but it seems that all we hear is the whistle of some day. Some 
day over the rainbow they will get around to really taking action and 
doing something about meaningful gift ban and lobby reform. I believe 
that we do not need to go down the yellow brick road with them. What we 
need to do is to act today, and we will have an opportunity this 
evening, a second opportunity to do something about the gift ban.
  As a new Member of this House, I am committed to constructive change, 
and my main complaint about the Republican majority, when it comes to 
the way this House operates, is not that they have changed too much the 
operation of the House, but they have changed too little. They have 
never really gotten to grips with the matter of campaign finance 
reform, lobby reform, or gift ban reform. They are setting the agenda. 
There is no reason that those items could not have been considered. 
Indeed, some of us sought to have them considered on the very first day 
of this Congress.
  The time for action is now on meaningful gift ban and lobby reform. 
Let us get about the public's business.

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