Senate Rules and Administration Committee Chairman Trent Lott yesterday began pushing a lobbying reform proposal that would allow senators to object to pet projects, known as earmarks, which are added to a final bill at the last minute.
The Mississippi Republican — who crafted the bill with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California Democrat and panel member — said certain earmarks are necessary and appropriate, but “some of them don’t pass the smell test … and we’ve got to find a way to get at that.”
“There’s nothing wrong with someone having to defend their request,” Mrs. Feinstein said.
Under their proposal, any earmark added to a final conference report without having been approved by either the House or Senate would be subject to an objection. Should the Senate be unable to muster 60 votes to overcome such an objection, the earmark would be stripped automatically. Currently, earmarks can’t be stripped from a final conference report without killing the entire measure.
The bill also would require that any earmarks added to final bills be published online at least 24 hours before the bill comes to a vote. The name of the senator who sponsored the earmark would be published as well.
Mr. Lott said earmarks won’t be eliminated altogether and that special funding for a local community sometimes is needed, especially in smaller, poorer states such as his. But he said senators have exploited the practice. “I’ve been part of this,” he acknowledged.
He said senators may be uncomfortable publicly arguing for projects but hoped it would discourage frivolous or unworthy earmarks.
“I think these are modest measures; I think they can make a difference,” Mrs. Feinstein said.
House and Senate leaders also enter this election year calling for lobbying reform, in the wake of the indictment of lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Tennessee Republican, created a working group to consider lobbying reform. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has been taking the lead.
Mr. Frist has asked the committee to vote on a reform package during the week of Feb. 27.
Senate Democrats last week rejected the idea of a bipartisan lobbying-reform task force.
Mr. Lott said his committee also will be involved in the process because any rules changes fall under that panel’s purview. He said he would be willing to move his bill separately or as part of a larger Senate package.
Senate and House Democrats also are pushing their own package of lobbying reform.
House Republicans, meanwhile, took their first step toward lobbying reform this week by changing House rules to ban former members who are lobbyists from accessing the House floor or the members’ exercise facilities.
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