Lobbying and Ethics

Feb 8, 2016

Top 400 Taxpayers See Tax Rates Rise, But There’s More to the Story

As Americans were gathering party supplies to greet the New Year, the Internal Revenue Service released their annual report of cumulative tax data reported on the 400 tax r...

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Feb 4, 2016

Chlorine Bleach Plants Needlessly Endanger 63 Million Americans

Chlorine bleach plants across the U.S. put millions of Americans in danger of a chlorine gas release, a substance so toxic it has been used as a chemical weapon. Greenpeace’s new repo...

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Jan 25, 2016

U.S. Industrial Facilities Reported Fewer Toxic Releases in 2014

The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data for 2014 is now available. The good news: total toxic releases by reporting facilities decreased by nearly six percent from 2013 levels. Howe...

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Jan 22, 2016

Methane Causes Climate Change. Here's How the President Plans to Cut Emissions by 40-45 Percent.

UPDATE (Jan. 22, 2016): Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its proposed rule to reduce methane emissions...

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more news

House Ethics Committee Issues Travel Guidelines

Feb 22, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

This week the House ethics committee issued guidelines concerning the process to obtain pre-approval of privately sponsored travel. Forms will have to be filled out explaining how each trip is considered to be official business. The sponsor paying for the trip will have to confirm that expenses are not related to personal activities. The new rules touted as strict, are now expanded once more in these new guidelines. A second night's stay is allowed in some cases if found necessary depending on practicality or transportation availability.

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Grassroots Lobbying Survey Results Demonstrate Strong Support for Disclosure

In early February, OMB Watch conducted a week-long Internet survey on federal grassroots lobbying disclosure that asked respondents to express their support or opposition to a variety of disclosure principles. Over 1,100 people responded to the survey, and the results were clear: strong support exists for federal grassroots lobbying disclosure.

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Grassroots Lobbying Survey Results Demonstrate Strong Support for Disclosure

In early February, OMB Watch conducted a week-long Internet survey on federal grassroots lobbying disclosure that asked respondents to express their support or opposition to a variety of disclosure principles. Over 1,100 people responded to the survey, and the results were clear: strong support exists for federal grassroots lobbying disclosure.

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House Lobby Reform Package Set for March

Feb 14, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The House began consideration of lobbying reform legislation, with specific attention towards the lobbying of executing branch officials. Yesterday the Oversight and Government Reform Committee considered H.R. 984, the Executive Branch Reform Act of 2007. The bill would require senior government officials to report significant contacts with lobbyists to the Office of Government Ethics. According to BNA Money and Politics ($$), the bill could be attached to the House's lobby reform legislation expected to be voted on in March.

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More Grassroots Campaigns to Come

Feb 6, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

An article in The Hill discusses how ethics rule changes will generate an even greater reliance on grassroots campaigns. Grassroots lobbying and lobbying firms are becoming increasingly more important, and will continue to do so. Lobbyists are not required to report grassroots campaigns to the federal government making them difficult to monitor, while traditional lobby firms will growingly partner with independent grassroots firms.

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Your Opinion on Grassroots Lobbying Disclosure

Feb 6, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

Take Our Survey!

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Share Your Thoughts on Grassroots Lobbying Disclosure

OMB Watch is seeking your input on the importance of federal grassroots lobbying disclosure as the House considers lobby reform. We would also like your feedback on specific principles that could be included in the House bill.

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Task Force to Examine House Rules

Feb 1, 2007 by Matt Lewis

As promised, an outside panel will decide how to enforce the new House rules. The group will make recommendations by May 1 on such matters as the proposed Office of Public Integrity. Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader Boehner announced yesterday the bi-partisan eight member panel. Pelosi and Boehner each named four members and according to CQ ($) Representative Capuano (D-MA) will be chairing the panel.

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Lobby Reform in the House

Jan 31, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

Roll Call ($$) is reporting on some of the troubles the House is having in crafting a lobbying reform bill. There is some question on whether or not the legislation should include a requirement that lobbyists disclose the amount of donations that they "bundle" together and then give to candidates. A staffer was quoted in the article that they are hoping to have a draft within the next two weeks. Representatives Van Hollen and Meehan introduced this bundling proposal as a separate bill, H.R.633.

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Genuine Lobbying? Connecting Grassroots Lobbying Disclosure and Wisconsin Right to Life Court Challenge

Jan 29, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

An article in the National Journal ($$), "A Two-Front War Over Lobbying", makes the very interesting point that lobbyists are pleased in light of grassroots lobbying disclosure falling from the Senate ethics and lobbying reform bill. The article pairs the loss of grassroots lobbying disclosure and the Supreme Court's decision to take up the Wisconsin Right to Life (WRTL) case as both key victories for lobbyists. Thematically the two issues concentrate on the regulation of political speech and advocacy.

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