Sunlight Act of 2007

Bill: 110-hr-170
Sponsor: Rep. King, Steve [R-IA-5]
Introduced: 2007-01-04 in the House
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Campaign funds
Computer software
Congressional elections
Congressional employees
Congressional ethics
Congressional officers
Congressional publicity
Congressional reporting requirements
Congressional travel
Data banks
Electronic government information
Federal Election Commission
Financial disclosure
Gifts
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
House of Representatives
House rules and procedure
Independent regulatory commissions
Law
Legislation
Legislative amendments
Legislative resolutions
Members of Congress
Political action committees
Presidential elections
Science, Technology, Communications
Transportation and Public Works
Travel costs

Summary:
action_date: 2007-01-04
text: 
Sunlight Act of 2007 - Amends Rule XXV (Limitations on Outside Earned Income and Acceptance of Gifts) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to require a Member of the House, officer, or employee, before taking a privately-funded trip, to: (1) provide certain travel-related information to the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, and agree to provide expenses reimbursed or to be reimbursed after the trip's completion; and (2) receive the Committee's precertification of such proposed trip. Prohibits any such privately-funded trip unless the Committee determines that it complies with all applicable rules of the House.
 
Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to require annual financial disclosure statements of Members of Congress and congressional officers and employees to include the exact dollar amount.
 
Requires such reports filed with the Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the Senate (as well as travel-related information) to be made available to the general public on the Internet.
 
Amends Rule II (Other Officers and Officials) to require, during general debate on any measure, the Clerk to project on a wall of the Hall of the House the subject matter of that debate so that it is visible to Members and to visitors in the gallery.
 
Amends Rule XXI (Restrictions on Certain Bills) to make it out of order to consider: (1) any bill, joint resolution, or conference report unless it is made available to Members and the general public on the Internet for at least 48 hours before its consideration; or (2) any amendment unless it is made available on the Internet within one hour after it is filed (if made in order by a rule) or immediately (if offered under an open rule).
 
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require all mandatory reports to be filed in an electronic form accessible by computers.
 
Revises requirements for mandatory reports on contributions made to any political committee shortly before an election. Extends from 20 days before to 30 days before the election the beginning of the look-back period for such contributions, and from 48 hours before the election to the closing of the polls the end of the look-back period. Applies the requirements to any contribution (currently, only those of $1,000 or more). Requires such reports to be made within 24 hours after receipt or, if earlier, by midnight of the day on which the contribution is deposited (currently, within 48 hours after receipt).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-01-04
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 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: 2007-01-04
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 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: 2007-01-04
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 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: 2007-01-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-01-04
text: Introduced in House