(Washington, D.C.)  Congresswoman Cathy McMorris (WA-05) today voted for H.R. 4975, the Lobbying Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, which increases transparency and disclosure of Congressional activities.

" It is important for us to find a balance between identifying the appropriate role of lobbyists and the need to create a transparent and legitimate system," said McMorris. "There is a role for those who lobby, yet that role can easily be abused, which is why we must create a system where rules and procedures are clearly defined. I believe that full disclosure is the simplest answer to keep everyone accountable. We must set high standards for our elected officials and restore trust and ethics to our United States Congress.¨

The Lobbying Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 increases transparency by:

• Strengthening lobbyist disclosure requirements and the frequency of filings by creating an online database
• Requiring members of Congress to forfeit retirement benefits if convicted of bribery, including conspiracy charges
• Requiring members, staff and lobbyist to attend a mandatory ethics course each Congress
• Requiring the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct to report recommendations on qualified private travel ban
• Ensuring that members cannot condition official acts based on the employment decision of an outside entity or private business
• Curtailing the number of Member appropriation projects by enhancing transparency