Lobbying and Ethics Reform Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-230
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2007-01-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Air travel
Appropriations
Auditing
Authorization
Campaign funds
Conferences
Conflict of interests
Congressional Record
Congressional agencies
Congressional committees (House)
Congressional committees (Senate)
Congressional conference committees
Congressional elections
Congressional employees
Congressional ethics
Congressional information resources
Congressional investigations
Congressional leadership
Congressional officers
Congressional privileges and immunities
Congressional publicity
Congressional reorganization
Congressional reporting requirements
Congressional travel
Congressional voting
Data banks
Economics and Public Finance
Election candidates
Electronic data interchange
Employee training
Ex-Members of Congress
Families
Federal aid programs
Federal employees
Federal officials
Federally-guaranteed loans
Fees
Finance and Financial Sector
Financial disclosure
Fines (Penalties)
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign agents
Fund raising
Gifts
Government Operations and Politics
Government lending
House Standards of Official Conduct
House of Representatives
House rules and procedure
Income tax
International Affairs
Internet
Law
Legislation
Legislative amendments
Legislative calendars
Licenses
Lobbying
Members of Congress
Parking facilities
Political action committees
Political conventions
Political parties
Politicians' families
Science, Technology, Communications
Senate
Senate Ethics
Senate rules and procedure
Sports and Recreation
Sports facilities
Standards
Tariff
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Tax exclusion
Tax returns
Taxation
Transportation and Public Works
Travel costs
Web sites

Summary:
action_date: 2007-01-09
text: 
Lobbying and Ethics Reform Act of 2007 - Revises the Standing Rules of the Senate or prescribes requirements with respect to: (1) conference reports; (2) elimination of certain floor privileges and other benefits and privileges for former Members, Senate officers, and Speakers of the House who are lobbyists or seek financial gain; (3) a ban on gifts from lobbyists; (4) travel restrictions and disclosure; (5) post-employment restrictions; (6) public disclosure by Members of employment negotiations; (7) conflicts of interest with respect to a Member's spouse or immediate family members; (8) a Member's use of influence on certain hiring decisions; and (9) notices of intent to object to proceeding to a measure or matter.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (LDA) and the Foreign Agents Registration Act with respect to various specified disclosures by registered lobbyists and foreign government lobbyists.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Requires: (1) the Comptroller General to audit lobbying registration and related reports annually; and (2) the Select Committee on Ethics to provide certain ethics training and awareness programs for Senators and their staff.
 
Expresses the sense of the Senate that the lobbying community should develop specified proposals for multiple self-regulatory organizations.
 
Amends the federal criminal code to extend from one to two years the ban on lobbying contacts by former very senior executive personnel, former Members of Congress, and officers of the legislative branch with any Member, officer, or employee of the entity in which such person served before his or her tenure terminated.
 
Prohibits former employees of either chamber of Congress, within two years after leaving office, from making lobbying contacts with a Member, officer, or employee of either chamber.
 
Amends the LDA to prohibit a registered lobbyist from knowingly making a gift or providing travel to a Member, officer, or employee of Congress, unless the gift or travel may be accepted under the rules of the House or the Senate.
 

 
Establishes the Senate Office of Public Integrity.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-01-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2007-01-09
text: Introduced in Senate