Democracy in Congress Act of 2004

Bill: 108-hr-5101
Sponsor: Rep. Meehan, Martin T. [D-MA-5]
Introduced: 2004-09-15 in the House
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Associations, institutions, etc.
Conflict of interests
Congressional committee chairmen
Congressional committee membership
Congressional committees (House)
Congressional conference committees
Congressional ethics
Congressional information resources
Congressional leadership
Congressional oversight
Congressional publicity
Congressional reporting requirements
Congressional voting
Congressional-executive relations
Data banks
Electronic data interchange
Electronic government information
Ex-Members of Congress
Federal advisory bodies
Federal employees
Federal officials
Financial disclosure
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Government ethics
Government paperwork
House Administration
House Government Reform
House rules and procedure
Internet
Judicial ethics
Labor and Employment
Law
Legislation
Legislative amendments
Legislative resolutions
Lobbying
Mass media
Members of Congress
Office of Government Ethics
Political parties
Record votes
Science, Technology, Communications
Subpoena
Time
Web sites

Summary:
action_date: 2004-09-15
text: 
Democracy in Congress Act of 2004 - Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to address: (1) same-day consideration of Rules Committee reports; (2) maximum voting time; (3) late night voting; (4) restrictive rule limitations from the Committee on Rules; (5) two-thirds voting requirements for certain waivers and for the availability of certain measures on the Internet; (6) composition and subpoena authority of the Committee on House Administration; (7) control of the Committee on Government Reform; and (8) Conference Committee disclosure requirements.
 
Creates a bipartisan Commission to assess the extent to which the House has upheld its constitutional responsibility to oversee the executive branch and to suggest improvements to the oversight process.
 
Amends the Federal criminal code to extend certain post-employment lobbying restrictions on former Members of Congress.
 
Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require specified disclosures and the creation of a free and publicly accessible database on the Internet that includes information contained in registrations and reports filed under that Act.
 
Amends the Federal criminal code to reform the waiver process for acts affecting a personal financial interest.
 
Amends the Code of Official Conduct set forth in House Rules to require the public disclosure of negotiations for prospective employment by Members of Congress if a conflict of interest or the appearance of such a conflict may exist.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-11-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.
action_date: 2004-09-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Standards of Official Conduct, and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-09-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Standards of Official Conduct, and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-09-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Standards of Official Conduct, and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-09-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Standards of Official Conduct, and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-09-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Standards of Official Conduct, and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-09-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-09-15
text: Introduced in House