1/18/2006
HARKIN PUSHES FOR HONEST LEADERSHIP, TRUE REFORMS IN WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON, D.C. –
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that he will co-sponsor the
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, legislation offering an
aggressive reform package to reverse Republican excesses and restore
the public’s trust in government. Harkin, a longtime proponent of
public financing, also called for real changes in campaign finance to
truly end the abuses in Washington.
“From the White
House to
Congress to K-Street, Republicans’ organized corruption in Washington
has come at a great cost to the American people,” said Harkin. “Rather
than debating legislation written by and for special interests, I
believe we must fight for reform, so we can clean up Washington and
ensure that America’s interests always come first.”
The cost of
Republican
corruption is felt by American families every day as they try to heat
their homes and send their children to college. While seniors struggle
with a confusing and poorly implemented prescription drug program and
middle-class families desperately try to pay higher bills with lower
wages, special interests reap rewards and giveaways. Republicans have
created laws that provide a multibillion dollar slush fund for the
pharmaceutical industry and allow friends like Halliburton to receive
no-bid contracts.
Some of the key
provisions Democrats have proposed to end this abuse include:
— A ban on
lobbyist gifts, including meals, entertainment and travel to ensure
legislation is never traded for perks,
— Increasing
restrictions on lobbyists so America knows what they are up to,
— Shutting down
schemes like the “K Street Project,” so special interests will not rule
Washington,
— Prohibiting
“Dead of
Night” special interest provisions by requiring conference committee
meetings to be open to the public.
Harkin, who has
long
advocated for public financing in federal election campaigns, said that
reform should not just end with this proposal and called for additional
campaign finance reform.
“I have long
believed
real reform cannot happen until we provide public financing of
campaigns and place limits on spending,” said Harkin. “While this bill
is a good first step, we must do more than ban gifts from lobbyists in
Washington. If we are really serious about reform, we should be talking
about further campaign finance reform.”
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