Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, an original co-sponsor of the Senate ethics reform bill (S.1), made the following statement Thursday regarding the need for a vote on “A Second Look at Wasteful Spending,” an amendment sponsored by U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) and the underlying bill:



“I believe that ethics reform is one of the most important issues we are facing, which is why I chose to co-sponsor this bill as my first bill as Leader of the Senate Republicans. We stand ready to pass ethics reform just as we did last year.



“Fiscal responsibility is not just an election-day issue. If we are serious about reform, we must take the steps necessary to marry fiscal rhetoric with fiscal reality. The commonsense reform offered by Sen. Gregg is an opportunity to do that—it deserves a vote.



“The Democrat leadership does not have to kill this legislation. I believe that we owe it to the voters as well as the institution to come to a fair agreement and pass this legislation.”



McConnell is a co-sponsor of the ethics reform bill and the Gregg amendment, which gives the President the opportunity to veto wasteful spending and use the savings for deficit reduction.



S.1: THE ETHICS AND LOBBY REFORM BILL

“THIS BILL IS GOING TO BE BROUGHT DOWN” – SEN. HARRY REID, 1/17/07



U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) claimed on the floor today that the Republican effort to ensure a vote on the Gregg Amendment would mean that the underlying bill (S.1) “is going to be brought down.” That’s an interesting take on the current proceedings, given Democrat actions on this very same bill just last year. Consider:



Last year Democrats blocked ethics reform because they wanted a vote on an amendment. This year they are blocking ethics reform because they don’t want to vote on an amendment.

Democrats are blocking a fair vote on an amendment that directly addresses wasteful spending.

Republicans are insisting that the Senate fully address ethics reform in a comprehensive manner that includes eliminating wasteful spending.

As Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said today, “No amount of spin is going to convince anyone that Republicans don’t want to vote on this bill.” In fact, the opposite is true, and the Gregg Amendment is an opportunity to show that we are serious about reform.



BACKGROUND:

When the Senate voted (Vote 36) on this same bill last year (S. 2349) on March 9, 2006, Democrats held up consideration of the bill. The 51-47 vote, with all Democrats present voting to withhold cloture, delayed the passage of the lobbying and ethics reform bill.



Sen. Gregg’s (R-NH) amendment proposing the “Second Look At Wasteful Spending Act of 2007” to S.1 is a common-sense measure designed to promote fiscal responsibility -- a principle Democrats have claimed to uphold. The DeMint amendment on earmarks, was given a vote, and passed 98-0 yesterday. The Gregg amendment, allowing the President to identify earmarks in the Congressional budget and present them to Congress for a vote on rescission, is a simple way to reduce wasteful spending and irrelevant to this week’s lobbying and ethics reform bill.



We need to address ethics reform in a non-partisan, serious manner. Not with political gamesmanship



In case anyone has forgotten the Democrat delay last year, the following may be useful:



Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV): “I Am Going To Suggest To Democratic Senators To Oppose Cloture Today.” (Sen. Harry Reid, Congressional Record, 3/9/06, p. S1926)



Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY): “We Will Use Whatever Parliamentary Means We Can To Make Sure There Is A Vote On This Issue.” (Sen. Charles Schumer, Congressional Record, 3/9/06, p. S1929-1930)



Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT): “I Would Hope … We Have A Chance For An Hour Or Two To Raise An Important Issue. … [Maybe] 3 Or 4 Or 5 hours.” (Sen. Chris Dodd, Congressional Record, 3/9/06, p. S1929)



Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND): “The Senate Is A Place Where You Ought To Get A Vote.” (Sen. Byron Dorgan, Congressional Record, 3/9/06, p. S1931)



Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND): “Deciding Not To Move Forward With The Bill Is A Decision By The Majority Leader.” (Sen. Byron Dorgan, Congressional Record, 3/9/06, p. S1931)



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