Is Half-Assed Good Enough?

The passage of the new lobby bill is definitely a step in the right direction, but still leaves the other foot dragging behind.

WaPo reports:
Senate Passes Lobbying Bill
Legislation Stresses More Disclosure; Critics Had Sought Tougher Ethics Rules
Jeffrey H. Birnbaum
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, March 30, 2006; Page A01

The Senate voted yesterday to require lobbyists to provide far more information about their dealings with lawmakers, responding to the Jack Abramoff political corruption scandal with a plan for more disclosure rather than tougher enforcement of ethics laws.

By a vote of 90 to 8, the Senate approved a bill that would also force the disclosure for the first time of indirect lobbying, such as grass-roots activities, and prevent registered lobbyists from paying for lawmakers' meals or giving them gifts such as sports tickets. Congressional leaders had promised far-ranging revisions of lobbying activities after Abramoff pleaded guilty in January to conspiring to bribe public officials. But the legislation that emerged yesterday is less sweeping than GOP leaders envisioned.

Two points to make here, first while members of the Senate may have payed lip service to this bill, very few wanted it passed. Remember, Trent Lott's McDonald's comment not too long ago.

McCain who along with Democrat Russ Feingold have been battering at Frist's door to pass their much more comprehensive proposal. Supposedly Dr. Feelgood has promised to put it before the full Senate, but it must be laying under the mystical diagnosis he did on Terry Schiavo oh so many moons ago.

McCain, took a few moments to pull his lips off of Shrub's ass had this to say:

"It's extremely weak," said Sen. John McCain (R-Az.), whose lobbying and ethics plan had been hailed by Senate Republican leaders in January as the model for future legislation. He voted against the bill yesterday.

What really cheeses me off about the Senate's version of the bill is that once again the is no OVERSIGHT. That part of the bill, although supported by members on both sides of the aisle was blown out of the water, leaving members like Senators Obama (D-Ill.), McCain (R-Az) and Feingold (D-Ws) to vote conscientiously but fruitlessly against the bill.

However given the choice between this and the House version, I would rather see the finished product resemble the upper house's proposal. The House version is simply put a piece of ineffectual crap that will not bar members of Congress from receiving meals and other gifts from lobbyists.

So what is the good here? One of the chief additions to current Senate Rules specifically to Paragraph 1(a)(2) of rule XXXV of the Standing Rules of the Senate:

RULE XXXV
(note: Original Rules text in GREEN. amends portions in RED)

1. (a)(1) No Member, officer, or employee of the Senate shall knowingly accept a gift except as provided in this rule.

(2) (A)A Member, officer, or employee may accept a gift (other than cash or cash equivalent) which the Member, officer, or employee reasonably and in good faith believes to have a value of less than $50, and a cumulative value from one source during a calendar year of less than $100. No gift with a value below $10 shall count toward the $100 annual limit. No formal recordkeeping is required by this paragraph, but a Member, officer, or employee shall make a good faith effort to comply with this paragraph.

(b)(1) For the purpose of this rule, the term `gift' means any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, forbearance, or other item having monetary value. The term includes gifts of services, training, transportation, lodging, and meals, whether provided in kind, by purchase of a ticket, payment in advance, or reimbursement after the expense has been incurred.

(B)(i) This clause shall not apply to a gift from a registered lobbyist or an agent of a foreign principal.

(ii) Notwithstanding division (i), a Member, officer, or employee may accept a meal or refreshment from a registered lobbyist or an agent of a foreign principal subject to the monetary limits in this clause. A Member shall list on the Member's official website the value of any meals or refreshments permitted by this division to the Member or employee of the Member and the name of the person who paid for such items not later than 15 days after such meals or refreshments are received.'.

Co-Queen of Maine Senator Susan Collins (R-Me), said of the bill:

the bill goes a long way toward restoring "the bonds of trust with our constituents [that have been] frayed."

Its a nice thought and may, big maybe here, curb the activities of lobbyists. However restoring the public's trust in the Congress will take more than plopping a .pdf on the Congressional webservers.

Additional Reading:
The text of S.2349
The text of S.2128
The Standing Rules of The Senate

For The House Version
The text of HR.4575
The text of HR.4667
The text of HR.4975