    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
    [October 2, 1995]
    [Page 1529]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1529]]

    Statement on House of Representatives Inaction on Political Reform
    October 2, 1995

        The American people have made it clear that they want political
    reform. It is plain that lobbyists have too much influence in the Halls
    of power and that reforms are needed to change the way we finance
    campaigns. I believe that a bipartisan consensus exists to enact reform.
    By an overwhelming margin, the Senate passed legislation that would
    require lobbyists to fully disclose their activities and that ended the
    practice of lobbyists giving lawmakers expensive gifts, meals, and
    travel.
        However, this past weekend, in an abrupt reversal of a previous
    commitment, the House Republican leadership announced that it would
    refuse to schedule a vote on lobby reform this year. This may please
    Washington's professional lobbyists, but it will only deepen the
    American people's cynicism about the way Government works. There can be
    no excuse for delay.
        This is the starkest indication yet that the new congressional
    majority simply is not serious about political reform. But it is not the
    first such indication. It is now nearly 4 months since Speaker Gingrich
    and I agreed to create a bipartisan commission on political reform. I
    have sought in good faith to move forward on this proposal. I asked two
    distinguished Americans, John Gardner and Doris Kearns Goodwin, to reach
    out to the congressional leadership to make this commission a reality.
    Mr. Gardner made repeated attempts to contact the Speaker, but the
    Speaker did not even show him the courtesy of a direct reply. In light
    of this extraordinary unresponsiveness, Mr. Gardner has indicated that
    he does not believe the commission has any chance of success.
        We must move forward with rapid action on reform that is bipartisan
    and real. Congress should quickly enact lobby reform, gift reform, and
    campaign finance reform legislation. In the meantime, I am not waiting.
    In my first days in office, I barred senior officials from lobbying
    their agencies for 5 years after leaving office and from ever lobbying
    for foreign governments. We repealed the tax loophole that let lobbyists
    deduct their expenses. We have fought for tough lobby reform and
    campaign reform legislation. And now, my administration is moving
    forward with an Executive order that will require lobbyists who contact
    the executive branch to fully disclose their activities.