[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 51 (Monday, December 25, 1995)]
[Pages 2205-2206]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995

December 19, 1995

    Today I am pleased to approve S. 1060, the ``Lobbying Disclosure Act 
of 1995.'' I have strongly supported the purposes and principles 
embodied in this legislation since the beginning of my Administration. 
During my first days in office, I barred all top executive branch 
officials from lobbying their agencies for 5 years after leaving office 
and from ever lobbying for foreign governments. During the 103rd 
Congress, my Administration lent its strong support to congressional 
backers of legislation that served as the model for the Lobbying 
Disclosure Act of 1995.
    As a general matter, S. 1060 provides for the disclosure of efforts 
by paid lobbyists to influence the decision-making process and actions 
of Federal legislative and executive branch officials. It replaces the 
existing patchwork of lobbying disclosure laws with a single, uniform 
statute that covers the activities of all professional lobbyists. Among 
other things, the bill streamlines lobbyist disclosure requirements and 
requires that professional lobbyists register and file regular reports 
identifying their clients, the issues on which they lobby, and the 
amount of their compensation. These are important steps in the right 
direction.
    The Department of Justice has identified certain provisions in the 
Act that raise constitutional concerns--in particular, the role given to 
the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of 
Representatives and the specific manner in which the legislation seeks 
to protect the exercise of religion. I shall instruct the Attorney 
General to apply and enforce the Act in a constitutional manner. This 
will ensure that the Act survives any challenge in court and thereby 
guarantee that the Act is fully effective in accomplishing its 
objectives, including the protection of religious expression.
    In addition, section 21(b) of the Act would forbid the appointment 
as United States Trade Representative or Deputy United States Trade 
Representative, of anyone who had ever ``directly represented, aided, or 
advised a foreign [government or political party] . . . in any trade 
negotiation, or trade dispute with the United States.'' The Congress may 
not, of course, impose broad restrictions on the President's 
constitutional prerogative to nominate persons of his choosing to the 
highest executive branch positions,

[[Page 2206]]

and this is especially so in the area of foreign relations. However, 
because as a policy matter I agree with the goal of ensuring the 
undivided loyalty of our representatives in trade negotiations, I 
intend, as a matter of practice, to act in accordance with this 
provision.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
December 19, 1995.