May 24, 2007 -- Reform Groups Urge House Members to Vote for Van Hollen-Meehan Bundling Disclosure Bill

Enclosed for your information is a letter reform groups sent today urging House members ''to vote for the legislation sponsored by Representatives Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Marty Meehan (D-MA) to require lobbyists to disclose the amount of bundled contributions they provide for Members and others.''

The reform groups include the Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, Democracy 21, the League of Women Voters, Public Citizen and U.S. PIRG.

May 23, 2007

Dear Representative,

Our organizations strongly urge you to vote for the legislation sponsored by Representatives Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Marty Meehan (D-MA) to require lobbyists to disclose the amount of bundled contributions they provide for Members and others.

The organizations include the Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, Democracy 21, the League of Women Voters, Public Citizen and U.S. PIRG.

As a Washington Post editorial this week ( May 22, 2007) stated:

The most controversial part of the [lobbying reform] package is also the most essential. It would require that lobbyists reveal the amounts they help raise for lawmakers, not just disclose the campaign checks they write directly. The provision wouldn't bar ''bundling''; it would simply shine some light for the public on what lawmakers and lobbyists already know, namely, how much the former are indebted to the latter. Fierce behind-the-scenes resistance to this plan is the best available proof of how badly it is needed.

A New York Times editorial today ( May 23, 2007) also noted:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi knows failure to approve bundling disclosure will reduce the Democrats' vaunted vows to political farce and shorten their chances of retaining the majority. Republicans are chortling, but the smarter moderates in their ranks better keep their eyes on the people's agenda, not the lobbyists' A.T.M.'s. A crucial vote over the lobby bill's debating rule is about to determine whether reform dies at the hands of greedy incumbents. They might remember that next year's voters will check for enactment of last year's promises.

We strongly urge you to vote for public disclosure and for your constituents' interests by voting for the Van Hollen-Meehan bundling disclosure legislation and to vote against any motion to recommit or any other effort to undermine the legislation.

Campaign Legal Center
Common Cause
Democracy 21
League of Women Voters
Public Citizen
U.S. PIRG