July 31, 2007 -- Reform Groups Urge Senators to Vote for Lobbying and Ethics Reform Bill

Enclosed for your information is a letter reform groups sent today urging Senators to vote for the lobbying and ethics reform legislation and to oppose any effort to filibuster or amend the reform legislation, when it is considered by the Senate this week.

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

VOTE FOR THE LOBBYING AND ETHICS REFORM BILL

VOTE AGAINST ANY EFFORT TO FILIBUSTER OR AMEND THE LEGISLATION

July 31, 2007

Dear Senator,

Our organizations strongly urge you to vote for the lobbying and ethics reform legislation when it is considered by the Senate this week. The organizations include the Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, Democracy 21, the League of Women Voters, Public Citizen and U.S. PIRG.

The legislation, which passed the House today, represents landmark reform of the nation's lobbying disclosure laws and landmark reform of the Senate ethics rules. The reforms address the worst congressional corruption scandals in 30 years that were revealed during the last Congress.

Under the legislation, for the first time citizens will be provided with a wealth of information about the multiple ways in which lobbyists and lobbying organizations provide financial support to assist Members. For the first time, candidate campaign committees, leadership PACs and political party committees will be required to disclose contributions that lobbyists and lobbying organizations raise and ''bundle'' for them.

The legislation includes fundamental reforms of the Senate ethics rules to prevent lobbyists and lobbying organizations from providing gifts, meals, entertainment and trips to Senators. While these Senate ethics rules reforms were initially adopted in January, 2007, more than six months have now gone by and the reforms are still not effective.

The process that will be used in the Senate to consider this legislation is the direct result of one Senator blocking the Senate from going to conference. As a result, the Senate must now pass legislation rather than a conference report. There is absolutely no basis for a Senator to vote against this legislation on process or substance grounds.

We strongly urge you to vote against any effort to block consideration of the reform legislation or to amend it, and to send the legislation unchanged directly to President Bush for his signature.

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