Topic: Government Operations — Political Campaigns
Subject: Congress
Date: 2007-01-04 00:00:00

Lobbying, Ethics, and Earmarks Transparency and Accountability Act of 2007 - Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (LDA) with respect to lobbying disclosures reports, including electronic filing and mandatory free availability to the public over the Internet. Amends Rule XXXVII (Conflict of Interest) of the Standing Rules of the Senate to impose a one-year lobbying moratorium on departing Member or committee staff. Amends the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act to allow U.S. officers and employees assigned to an Indian tribe, and former U.S. officers and employees employed by Indian tribes, to act as agents or attorneys for, or appear on behalf of, such tribes in connection with any matter pending before any department, agency, court, or commission. Requires public disclosure by Members of Congress of employment negotiations. Amends Rule XXIII (Privilege of the Floor) to deny certain floor, gymnasium, and parking privileges to former Senators and Senators-elect, Secretaries, Sergeants at Arms of the Senate, and Speakers of the House if they: (1) are registered lobbyists or agents of a foreign principal; or (2) are in the employ of or represent any party or organization for the purpose of influencing, directly, or indirectly, the passage, defeat, or amendment of any legislative proposal. Declares that the market value of a flight by Members, officers, or employees of the House or Senate on an airplane not licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate for compensation or hire is the fair market value of a charter flight. Requires public disclosure of such flights. Requires increased disclosure of travel by Members of Congress. Requires the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct and the Senate Select Committee on Ethics to develop and revise guidelines on reasonable expenses or expenditures for official government travel. Amends Rule XXXV (Gifts) to exclude gifts from lobbyists or agents of a foreign principal from the gift ban exceptions. Establishes the Senate Office of Public Integrity. Requires the Select Committee on Ethics to provide certain ethics training and awareness programs for Senators and staff. Amends Rule XVI (Appropriations and Amendments to General Appropriations Bills) to revise procedures for consideration of points of order on appropriations bills in the Senate. Amends LDA to require a recipient of federal funds to disclose any registered lobbyist to whom the recipient paid money to lobby on behalf of such funding. Prohibits a federal agency from obligating any funds made available in an appropriation Act to implement an earmark included in an accompanying report unless the earmark is also included in the Act. Amends Rule XXVIII (Conference Committee; Reports; Open Meetings) to make it out of order to consider a conference report containing certain matter not committed to the conferees by either chamber, or not available to all Members and the general public on the Internet for at least 48 hours before its consideration. Amends Rule XVI to prohibit consideration of an appropriation bill or amendment between the chambers which includes unauthorized appropriations unless accompanied by a detailed listing of such appropriations and their proponents. Specifies conditions under which the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate shall recognize a notice of intent of a member of their caucus to object to proceeding to a measure or matter.