[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 48 (Monday, December 4, 1995)]
[Page 2077]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Congressional Action on Lobby Reform Legislation

November 29, 1995

    I am delighted that Congress has passed lobby reform legislation. 
This bill will help change the way Washington does business. For too 
long, Washington's influence industry has operated out of the sunlight 
of public scrutiny. This new law will require professional lobbyists, 
for the first time, to fully disclose who they are working for and what 
legislation they are trying to pass or kill. Lobby reform will be good 
for American democracy and will help restore the trust of the people in 
their Government.
    This is precisely the sort of change that the American people have 
demanded and that I championed during my campaign for the Presidency and 
as President. I am particularly pleased that a strong bipartisan 
coalition in both the House and Senate stood firm for reform. I want to 
especially thank Senator Carl Levin, who championed this legislation for 
many years, and the other Members for their leadership, including 
Senator Bill Cohen and Representatives Barney Frank, John Bryant, and 
Charles Canady.
    Since I took office, I have challenged Congress to enact four 
significant political reform measures: legislation applying laws to 
Congress, a ban on gifts to lawmakers, lobby disclosure, and campaign 
finance reform. The Congress has now acted on the first three of these 
reform priorities. It is time to finish the job.