This is how I spent the last couple days....making calls and sending emails...At times you think it is a waste of time then you get an email like this one...the bill you want to pass passes and it feels nice

January 19, 2007
Dear BlueCat, <--name changed
We won! Thanks to your emails and phone calls, we swamped the Senate and they passed a strong lobbying and ethics reform bill, S. 1, in a 96-2 landslide.

Other good news: Justice was served today when ex-Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) was sentenced to 30 months in jail. I guess that free golf trip to Scotland wasn't so free.

Again, thank you! Daniel De Bonis Online Organizer Public Citizen's Congress Watch

P.S. If you are still fired up, write a quick email to your senators thanking them for passing S. 1. Click here: http://action.citizen.org/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=6528&t=CleanUpWashington 2col.dwt

It was looking grim yesterday, as a partisan fight had broken out the day before which threatened to kill the whole bill.
The stand-off was over a dispute between Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) on whether the Senate would take a vote on a "line-item" veto proposal desired by President Bush.



Our activists and other concerned citizens then flooded the Capitol with calls demanding an immediate vote on real lobbying and ethics reform.
Throughout the afternoon and into the evening, the Senate leaders negotiated an agreement that eventually brought the bill back to life.




Here are bill highlights this is going to help on so many levels I am a happy camper...



The bill: 1. Bans gifts from lobbyists and organizations the hire lobbyists (no more gifts to lawmakers, folks).
2. Prohibits organizations that employ lobbyists from arranging or paying for congressional travel, with the following exceptions:
* One day trips
* Travel paid for by 501(c)(3), subject to pre-approval by the ethics committee
* Travel paid for by universities.
3. Requires Members to pay full charter rates for flying on private corporate jets, for officially connected and campaign trips.
4. Discloses all fundraising activity, including bundling, by lobbyists.
5. Prohibits lobbyists from hosting events that "honor" members of Congress, even at party conventions.
6. Extends revolving door prohibition from one year to two â?? and include "lobbying activity" in that two-year cooling off period.
7. Prohibits spouses of Members of Congress from lobbying, unless they were registered lobbyists prior to the Member's election or they were a lobbyist prior to one year of marrying the Member.
8. Members cannot request earmarks that benefit the Member's immediate family.
9. Extensive earmark disclosure, for federal agencies as well as earmarks to private parties.
10. Earmarks must be posted on the Members' Web page.
11. Disclosure of stealth coalition lobbying.
12. And, of course, quarterly, electronic reporting of lobbying activity.