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<br/>3/3/2006--Reported to Senate, amended. (There is 1 other summary)<br/>Lobbying Transparency and Accountability Act of 2006 - Title I: Enhancing Lobbying Disclosure - (Sec. 101) Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (LDA) to require: (1) quarterly instead of semiannual filing of lobbying disclosures reports; (2) an annual report on registered lobbyists' contributions; (3) maintenance of certain lobbying disclosure information in an electronic database, available to the public free of charge over the Internet; (4) disclosure by registered lobbyists of all past executive and congressional employment; and (5) disclosure of registered lobbyists' payments or reimbursements for travel and related expenses of covered legislative and executive branch officials.<br/>(Sec. 106) Increases from $50,000 to $100,000 the penalty for failure to comply with lobbying disclosure requirements.<br/>(Sec. 107) Revises requirements for the contents of lobbyist registrations, particularly disclosure of the identity of any organization, other than the client, that contributes over $10,000 toward the registrant's lobbying activities in a semiannual period, and participates in a substantial way (currently, in whole or in major part) in the planning, supervision, or control of such lobbying activities. Waives such disclosure if it is publicly available knowledge that the organization is affiliated with the client, or has been publicly disclosed to have provided funding to the client, unless the organization in whole or in major part plans, supervises or controls such lobbying activities.<br/>Provides that nothing in such disclosure requirement shall be construed to require disclosure of any information about individuals who are members of, or donors to, an entity treated as a client or its identified organization.<br/>(Sec. 108) Requires the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives to provide, semiannually, to specified congressional committees the aggregate number of lobbyists and lobbying firms, separately accounted, referred to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia for LDA noncompliance.<br/>Requires the U.S. Attorney to report, semiannually, to such committees on the aggregate number of enforcement actions taken by the Attorney's office under the LDA and the amount of fines, if any, by case, but not the names of individuals or personally identifiable information.<br/>(Sec. 109) Requires mandatory lobbyist reports to be filed electronically, in addition to any other form required. (Sec. 110) Includes among lobbying activities any paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying, but excludes grassroots lobbying itself.<br/>Defines &amp;quot;grassroots lobbying&amp;quot; as the voluntary efforts of members of the general public to communicate their own views on an issue to federal officials or to encourage other members of the general public to do the same.<br/>Defines &amp;quot;grassroots lobbying firm&amp;quot; as a person or entity that: (1) is retained by one or more clients to engage in paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying on behalf of such clients; and (2) receives income of, or spends or agrees to spend, an aggregate of $25,000 or more for such efforts in any quarterly period.<br/>Excludes paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying from the exemption from the registration requirement (thus, requiring LDA registration for such activities, regardless of low income or expenses).<br/>Requires registration of a grassroots lobbying firm within 45 days after it is first retained by a client to engage in paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying.<br/>Modifies requirements for the contents of reports by a registered lobbying firm or individual to require separate itemization of total income or expenses relating to paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying (including advertising).<br/>Exempts reports relating to paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying activities from LDA requirements for: (1) a statement about the chambers of Congress and federal agencies contacted by lobbyists employed by the registrant on behalf of the client; and (2) a list of the registrant's employees who acted as lobbyists on behalf of the client.<br/>Modifies requirements for the estimate of income or expenses of registered lobbyists to specify different requirements for estimates relating to paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying.<br/>Revises requirements for such estimates based on the tax reporting system with respect to such paid efforts.<br/>Title II: Oversight of Ethics and Lobbying - (Sec. 201) Requires the Comptroller General to audit and report to Congress annually on lobbying registration and reports for LDA compliance or noncompliance by lobbyists and their clients.<br/>(Sec. 202) Requires the Select Committee on Ethics to conduct ongoing ethics training and awareness programs for Members of the Senate and Senate staff.<br/>(Sec. 203) Expresses the sense of the Senate that the lobbying community should develop proposals for multiple self-regulatory organizations which could provide for: (1) creation of standards for the organizations appropriate to the type of lobbying and individuals to be served; (2) training for the lobbying community on law, ethics, reporting requirements, and disclosure requirements; (3) development of educational materials for the public on how to hire a lobbyist or lobby firm responsibly; (4) standards regarding reasonable fees to clients; (5) creation of a third-party certification program that includes ethics training; and (6) disclosure of requirements to clients regarding fee schedules and conflict of interest rules.<br/>(Sec. 204) Requires the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct and the Senate Select Committee on Ethics (ethics committees) each to report annually on alleged ethics violations and complaints.<br/>Title III: Slowing the Revolving Door - (Sec. 301) Amends the federal criminal code to extend from one to two years the ban on lobbying contacts by former very senior executive personnel, former Members of Congress, and officers of the legislative branch with any Member, officer, or employee of the entity in which such person served before his or her tenure terminated.<br/>Prohibits former employees of either chamber of Congress, within one year after leaving office, from making lobbying contacts with a Member, officer, or employee of either chamber.<br/>Title IV: Ban on Provision of Gifts or Travel by Lobbyists in Violation of the Rules of Congress - (Sec. 401) Amends the LDA to prohibit a registered lobbyist from knowingly making a gift or providing travel to a Member, officer, or employee of Congress, unless the gift or travel may be accepted under the rules of the House or the Senate.<br/>Subjects such lobbyist to LDA penalties for violating this ban.<br/>Title V: Commission to Strengthen Confidence in Congress Act of 2006 - Commission to Strengthen Confidence in Congress Act of 2006 - (Sec. 502) Establishes in the legislative branch the Commission to Strengthen Confidence in Congress to evaluate and report to Congress on congressional ethics requirements and to recommend improvements to ethical safeguards.<br/>(Sec. 510) Authorizes appropriations.<br/>

30961 'bill':3 'lobbi':1 'reform':2 24054 popular introduced 30961 'act':5 '2005':7 'lobbi':1 'account':4 'transpar':2 24055 short reported to senate 30961 'act':5 '2006':7 'lobbi':1 'account':4 'transpar':2 24056 short reported to senate 30961 'act':7 '2006':9 'confid':4 'commiss':1 'congress':6 'strengthen':3 24057 short introduced 30961 'bill':2 'activ':11 'lobbi':10 'provid':4 'purpos':15 'greater':5 'respect':8 'transpar':6 24058 official action 30961 1141362000 Fri Mar 03 00:00:00 -0600 2006 53395 Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Collins with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report. M000303 1936-08-29 41271 241 Russell Senate Office Building http://mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm 202-228-2862 John 'r':4 'az':5 'sen':1 'john':2,6,8 'mccain':3,7,9 M 300071 McCain John_McCain S. Sen. John McCain [R, AZ] 16492 N00006424 36681 Republican 202-224-2235 Episcopalian AZ John McCain 3.985559566787 http://mccain.senate.gov/ B001126 1935-01-25 Conrad 'burn':2,4,6 'conrad':1,3,5 M 300015 Burns Conrad_Burns Conrad Burns N00004638 362 Republican Lutheran Conrad Burns C001040 1953-03-26 Lincoln 'chafe':2,4,6 'lincoln':1,3,5 M 300020 Chafee Lincoln_Chafee D. Lincoln Chafee N00009954 312 Republican Episcopalian Lincoln Chafee C001057 1949-08-17 9617 Norm 'norm':1,3,5 'coleman':2,4,6 M 300024 Coleman Norm_Coleman Norm Coleman 3923 N00013870 8488 Republican Jewish Norm Coleman 2.8 K000352 1942-04-25 9176 730 Hart Senate Office Building http://kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm 202-224-2207 Jon 'r':4 'az':5 'jon':2,6,8 'kyl':3,7,9 'sen':1 M 300062 Kyl Jon_Kyl Sen. Jon Kyl [R, AZ] 4814 N00006406 11336 Republican 202-224-4521 Presbyterian AZ Jon Kyl 2.57142857142857 http://kyl.senate.gov/ SenJonKyl L000304 1942-02-24 9410 706 Hart Senate Office Building http://lieberman.senate.gov/contact/ 202-224-9750 Joseph 'ct':5 'sen':1 'joseph':2,6,8 'lieberman':3,7,9 M 300067 Lieberman Joseph_Lieberman I. Sen. Joseph Lieberman [I, CT] 4002 N00000616 13059 Independent 202-224-4041 Jewish CT Joseph Lieberman 3.32954545454545 http://lieberman.senate.gov/ N000032 1942-09-29 8697 716 Hart Senate Office Building http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm 202-228-2183 Bill 'd':4 'fl':5 'sen':1 'bill':2,6,8 'nelson':3,7,9 M 300078 Nelson Bill_Nelson Sen. Bill Nelson [D, FL] 4253 N00009926 18756 Democrat 202-224-5274 Presbyterian FL Bill Nelson 2.23404255319149 http://billnelson.senate.gov/ SenBillNelson S000663 1947-02-21 8799 154 Russell Senate Office Building http://snowe.senate.gov/webform.htm 202-224-1946 Olympia 'r':4 'sen':1 'snow':3,7,9 'olympia':2,6,8 F 300091 Snowe Olympia_Snowe J. Sen. Olympia Snowe [R, ME] 3547 N00000480 15979 Republican 202-224-5344 Greek Orthodox ME Olympia Snowe 2.58260869565217 http://snowe.senate.gov/ action 30961 1141362000 Fri Mar 03 00:00:00 -0600 2006 53395 Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Collins with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report. calendar 30961 1141362000 Fri Mar 03 00:00:00 -0600 2006 53396 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 369. action 30961 1141275600 Thu Mar 02 00:00:00 -0600 2006 53394 Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably. action 30961 1138165200 Wed Jan 25 00:00:00 -0600 2006 53393 Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Hearings held. introduced 30961 1134709200 Fri Dec 16 00:00:00 -0600 2005 53391 action 30961 1134709200 Fri Dec 16 00:00:00 -0600 2005 53392 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.