The text is available HERE.
Our readers might recall that a similar provision was struck from the Senate ethics bill (S.1) back in January by a vote of 55-43. The House version is somewhat different than the version rejected by the Senate, though not in any constitutionally significant way.
Rollcall ($) has good coverage, including this great exchange:
“I can’t even comprehend any objection to having for-profit businesses report fees they earn trying to influence Congress on important pieces of legislation,” said Craig Holman of Public Citizen.
Opponents can: the First Amendment. They say that even in its pared-down form, the proposal would impose undue reporting requirements on small groups and citizen activists. The result, they argue, could be a chill on constitutionally protected free speech. “It is dangerous to democracy to have incumbent politicians regulating who speaks to their constituents about what Congress is doing,” said Douglas Johnson, legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee.
For those who are interested in learning more about this issue, here are some useful links:
CCP has written two policy primers on grassroots lobbying disclosure: HERE & HERE
CCP Chairman Brad Smith testified before the House Judiciary Constitution subcommittee on this issue back in March: LINK
Brad Smith and CCP Executive Director Steve Hoersting have written several op-eds on the subject: Let the Grassroots "Lobbying" Grow, MLK, Grassroots Lobbyist, and Senate does right by Grass-roots Lobbyists
And we’ve written several blog posts on the subject, some of which can be found HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, & HERE
