Congressman Cummings Supports Legislation Addressing Government Transparency and Ethical Guidelines

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May 24, 2007
Press Release
Washington, D.C. — startwidainctext Today, U.S. Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-Maryland), successfully pushed for the passage of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (H.R. 2316) and the Lobbying Transparency Act of 2007 (H.R. 2317), which ends the tight-knit relationship between lobbyists and lawmakers by establishing standards that heighten disclosure requirements and guidelines that prevent inappropriate conduct.
 
In addition to prohibiting Members of Congress and senior staff from lobbying their former colleagues or prior employers for one year, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act ensures an open and honest Congress by:
    • Requiring lobbyists to disclose fundraisers and other events that honor Members;
 
    • Establishing an online, searchable public database of Member travel and personal financial disclosure forms;
 
    • Requiring sitting Members to disclose job negotiations for post-Congressional employment and to recuse themselves when there is a conflict of interest or an appearance of a conflict;
 
    • Requiring Members to prohibit their staff from having any official contact with the Members' lobbyist spouse on behalf of the spouse's client;
 
    • Requiring lobbyists to disclose past Executive Branch and Congressional employment; and,
 
    • Ending the K Street Project by prohibiting Members and senior staff from influencing employment decisions or practices of private entities for partisan political gain. 
"This bill ends the culture of corruption by ending close relationships between lobbyists and lawmakers," Congressman Cummings said. 
 
Congressman Cummings also voted for the passage of The Lobbying Transparency Act of 2007, H.R. 2317, which will require lobbyists who "bundle," or collect campaign checks for Members of Congress in excess of $5,000 to meet strict reporting and disclosure guidelines. 
 
"We opened this Congress riding the ethics horse, and I think we have to ride it all the way to the finish line," Congress Cummings said.
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