Wall Calls Ethics Reform Plan a Good Start
Wall Calls Ethics Reform Plan a Good Start
Continues call for sweeping reform to clean up Washington
Calling the Democratic Leadership's ethics reform plan a "step in the right direction," Jamie Wall, Democratic Candidate for Congress in Northeast Wisconsin, said today that he would support the proposed Democratic ethics reform bill but urged the Congressional leadership to continue working for even stronger reforms.
"I support the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act' introduced yesterday. It's a good start, but Congress needs an even deeper clean," Wall said. "That's why I also support a plan that would end two-day work weeks and crack down on earmarking."
Last week Wall announced his support for "A Proposal to Make Congress Work" and called for major changes to House rules and urged supporters to join him as a citizen-cosponsor of the plan. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, Wall said.
"Every day, people in Northeast Wisconsin tell me that the relationship between Congress and lobbyists is corrupt - and I agree with them," Wall said. "We can't expect to have a sensible energy plan if it's written by lawmakers who have been wined and dined by oil industry lobbyists. We won't have a good Medicare drug plan until Congress stops voting in the middle of the night and allows members enough time to actually read the legislation that they're expected to vote on."
"A Proposal to Make Congress Work" includes reforms to forbid lobbyists from Congressional travel, end the practice of using earmarks to buy votes for questionable legislation, curb the Congressional leadership's abuse of power by ending extended roll call votes, and prohibit the House from voting on legislation without giving members time to familiarize themselves with it.
The Democratic leadership proposal makes several reforms, including prohibiting members of Congress from taking gifts and meals from lobbyists, extending from one to two years the waiting period before members or staff can lobby Congress, and increasing public disclosure of lobbyist activity.
"I'm pleased that our party has rallied around legislation to ban lobbyist trips, shut down pay-to-play deals like the K Street Project, and increase public disclosure of lobbyist activity," Wall continued. "Regardless of which party is in the majority, the people of Northeast Wisconsin should be confident that their member of Congress is working for their interests, not the special interests."
"The question now becomes," Wall concluded, "will Republicans both in Wisconsin and Washington support strong ethics reform or not?"
http://www.wallforcongress.com/ethicsreform