 ACTION ALERT: Critical Vote on Special Interest Influence! The House of Representatives is scheduled to take up lobbying
reform legislation this week, the week of May 21. There is a raging
battle being fought over an amendment that will be offered to
require that lobbyists disclose the campaign contributions they
arrange or deliver to members of Congress. This “bundling”
amendment will be the critical vote. One of the key ways that lobbyists buy access to influence the legislative process is to deliver large sums of campaign money to members of Congress. Only the contributions actually from a lobbyist’s own funds must be disclosed. The much larger sums that lobbyists arrange or deliver – the sums they “bundle” together – need not be disclosed by the lobbyist who does the bundling. The member of Congress knows that the lobbyist delivered a large sum of money made up of many contributions, but the public does not. Representative Chris Van Hollen (D MD) will offer an amendment to the lobbying reform bill to require that lobbyists disclose their bundled contributions. The amendment does not restrict or limit bundling, it merely requires disclosure. While the Democratic leadership supports the amendment, many rank and file members of both parties are indicating real reluctance. Representatives need to hear from their constituents that cleaning up Washington is still important.Take action today to help clean up Congress! The choice that Representatives face is to vote with the lobbyists in Washington or to vote with their constituents back home. Please help your Representative make the right choice. .TAKE ACTION 1. Contact your Representative now, by phone and by email, and urge support for the Van Hollen Amendment on bundling. Tell your Representative that she/he faces a clear choice – to vote with the lobbyists in Washington or to vote with you and other constituents at home.Phone calls are helpful and can be made through the Capitol Hill
switchboard at 202-224-3121 or 202-225-3121.
Click here to enter your zip code and send an instant message to
your Representative now! Stay informed! If this email was forwarded to you, sign up to receive Action Alerts directly by email. It’s easy to sign up and the League will never share your email with others: http://takeaction.lwv.org/lwv/mlm/signup/. Action Alert #110-4, Ethics and Lobbying Reform, House, GLC, 5/21/07
|
|
League of Women Voters |