Senate passes Democrats' ethics, lobbying bill

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate, responding to voter frustration with corruption and special interest influence in Washington, on Thursday overwhelmingly approved far-reaching ethics and lobbying reform legislation.

Under the bill, passed 96-2, senators will give up gifts and free travel from lobbyists, pay more for travel on corporate jets and make themselves more accountable for the pet projects they insert into bills.

The Senate did reject the idea of setting up an independent office to investigate the ethical breaches of members. But it said that spouses of sitting members will no longer be able to lobby the Senate and lobbyists can no longer pay for extravagant parties for members at national conventions.

Passage of the bill came a day after the measure appeared dead, the victim of a test of will between the two parties.

Republicans were angry they could not get a vote on a proposal giving the president, with congressional approval, more power to kill single spending items in larger bills. So GOP senators voted against a resolution needed to move the bill to final passage. - CNN
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The bill passed 96-2, which apparently means that it could have passed in the last Congress, too. Does anyone know why it wasn't passed before? Does anyone know if it was even brought to the floor before?

In any case, it seems that both the Sente and the House in this new Congress is actually concerned about ethics and what the people want, rather than what corporate America wants. That's a nice, refreshing change. Even if it doesn't last, it is a step back in theright direction.



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Republicans Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Orrin Hatch of Utah were the two Senators who voted against the bill. I do not know their reasons. Maybe they wanted a bill with even more restrictions. And maybe they didn't.

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