Ethics and Reform

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During the last six years, the culture of corruption in Washington undermined our democracy by tainting the legislative process and limiting the public’s voice. The high profile scandals involving lobbyist Jack Abramoff, former House Republican Leader Tom DeLay, and former Congressmen Bob Ney and Randy “Duke” Cunningham have exposed the unscrupulous exchange of legislative favors for donations, gifts or bribes.

Often, major legislation was drafted by and for campaign contributors. The new Medicare Drug Benefit, for example, was written to suit the interests of the pharmaceutical and insurance industries. It is confusing and inadequate for seniors and extraordinarily expensive for taxpayers.

Rep. Allen speaks at a press conference about ethics reform with Jon Bartholomew of Common Cause, a National Media and Democracy Organizer

The 2005 Energy Bill, with its huge subsidies for the oil and gas companies, has done nothing to combat rising gas prices or to reduce American dependence on foreign oil.

Rep. Tom Allen has a long history of congressional reform. As a freshman in Congress, he helped draft an initiative to ban so-called "soft money" that became the basis for the McCain-Feingold/Shays-Meehan campaign finance reform law.

Last Congress, Rep. Tom Allen joined his colleagues, Reps. David Obey (D-WI), Barney Frank (D-MA) and David Price (D-NC), to propose a reform of House rules to stop abuses of congressional power. The Obey-Allen reform package requires that each bill considered by the House have a full and open debate and that Members and the public have at least 24 hours to read bills before they are voted on. It limits vote duration to ensure that votes are based on the merits of the bill, not arm-twisting, and prohibits the use of “earmarks” to buy votes. Finally, the bill prevents lobbyists from enjoying special access to Members that the general public cannot get or afford, and it reforms budget rules to enforce fiscal discipline.

Legislation

H.Res. 6, Adopting the Rules of the House for the 110th Congress

Under the Republican-led Congress, ethical reforms like the ones mentioned above were not brought before the House. The Obey-Allen package became the centerpiece of a reform agenda, H.Res. 6, that was one of the first items passed this year in the “First Hundred Hours.”

Full Text of H.Res. 6

S.1, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007

Rep. Tom Allen also voted for S. 1, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, when it was presented in the House. S. 1 increases to two years the time a Member of Congress must wait before joining a lobbying firm, brings transparency to the fundraising lobbyists perform on behalf of candidates, and strips pensions from Members convicted of some felonies. The congressional ethics reforms in S. 1 also include a number of elements first proposed by Reps. Allen, Obey, Frank and Price in December 2005. These include a ban on gifts and travel paid for by lobbyists and the use of company planes. The bill also requires full disclosure of “earmarks,” appropriations that Members include in spending bills to fund specific projects or programs.

Rep. Tom Allen is also promoting legislation to fix laws crafted under the culture of corruption. Legislation he has supported to give the federal government the authority to negotiate lower drug prices for seniors and to repeal the subsidies for oil and gas companies has already passed the House this year.

Full Text of S.1

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