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LDA resources
From OpenCongress Wiki
This is a resource document for lobbying disclosure (in the very broad sense). It is a work in progress. It contains the following sections:
Relevant legislation (with links to the act, committee reports, etc.)
- Big picture list
- Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007
- Judicial Disclosure Responsibility Act of 2007
- P.L. 110-24 (PDF)
- Reform Earmarks Process resolution (2006)
- Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA)
- P.L. 107-155 (PDF)
- Lobbying Disclosure Technical Amendments Act of 1998
- P.L. 105-166 (PDF)
- Was S. 758
- S. Rep. 105-147 (PDF)
- Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995
- Government Printing Office Electronic Information Access Enhancement Act of 1993 (S. 564)
- Ethics Reform Act of 1989 (plus later technical amendments) (H.R. 3660)
- Ethics in Government Act 1978 (includes Public Official Integrity Act, which established Senate code of conduct)
- Federal Elections Campaign Act of 1971 (with many amendments)
- See 1974 amendments
- See PL 104-79 to allow electronic filing
- FY 2000 Appropriations Bill, requires House and President to electronically file
- Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (79th Congress; req'd disclosure of lobbyists) (See Title III: Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act, replaced by LDA)
- Mutual Security Act of 1954 (requires filing of foreign travel reports reflecting reimbursement of travel by the federal government)
- Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938
Links to relevant sections of the U.S. Code
- Federal Election Campaigns Title II Chapter 14
- Congressional Accountability Title II Chapter 24 (applying federal laws to congress)
- Disclosure of Lobbying Activities: Title II Chapter 26
- Political Activities of State and Local Activities: Title V Chapter 15
- Inspector General Act of 1978: Title 5a
- Ethics in Government Act: Title 5a
- Foreign Gifts and Decorations (mostly repealed) : Title 22 Chapter 37
- Foreign Agents and Propaganda: title 22 Chapter 11
- Disclosure of Classified Information: Title 18 USC 798
- Public Printing and Documents: Title 44
- Election Administration Improvement Title 42 Chapter 146
- Information Technology Management Title 40 Subtitle III
- Public Contracts Title 41
- Money and Finance: Title 31
Links to House and Senate Rules
Senate
- Rules:
- Senate Code of Official Conduct
- Rule 34: Public Financial Disclosure
- Rule 35: Gifts
- Rule 40: Franking
- Rule 41: Potential Fund Designess
- Rule 41(6): Supervisor’s Reports on Individuals Performing Senate Services
- See overview of Senate Code of Conduct, March 2007
- Senate Ethics Manual (S. Pub 108-1); last published 108th Congress, 1st session
- Committees
- Senate Code of Official Conduct
House
- Rules:
- H. Res. 6 (110th Cong)
- H. Res 648 (Feb. 1, 2006)
- Committees:
Links to executive branch entities that oversee compliance
Judiciary
Executive Branch
- Executive Agencies
- Executive Orders
- Forms
Where the databases are located
States
- https://spreadsheets.google.com/a/sunlightfoundation.com/ccc?key=p1p_ebIzxEehQXSv6jmqdZw&inv=dschuman@sunlightfoundation.com&t=7687996695591894418&guest (courtesy Nisha)
On line resources
- Lobbying Disclosure Act Database, available from the Senate Office of Public Records
- Site where lobbyists must file their disclosure reports
- Many documents are available with the Senate Office of Public Records or the House Clerk's Office
Guidance on complying with lobbying disclosure
- House of Representatives Guide to Lobbying Disclosure Act
- Senate Lobbying Disclosure Information
- Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act Guidance, Rev. Feb. 3, 2009
Background resources from legislative support agencies
- See Sunlight Proposed LDA
- U.S. Government Entities with Ethics/Conduct related authority (PDF)
- CRS Report: “Lobbying Disclosure: Themes and Issues, 110th Congress” by R. Eric Peterson, May 29, 2007 (PDF)
- CRS Report: “Lobbying Law and Ethics Rules Changes in the 110th Congress” September 18, 2007
- GAO Report: “2008 Lobbying Disclosure: Observations on Lobbyists' Compliance with Disclosure Requirement” April 2009 (PDF)
- GAO Report: “Lobbying Disclosure: Observations on Lobbyists' Compliance with New Disclosure Requirements” September 2008 (PDF)
- GAO Report: “Post-Government Employment Restrictions and Foreign Agent Registration: Additional Action Needed to Enhance Implementation of Requirements” July 2008 (PDF)
- CRS Report: “Lobbying Congress: An Overview of Legal Provisions and Congressional Ethics Rules” December 27, 2006 (PDF)
- GAO Letter to Senator Levin: “Information on States' Lobbying Disclosure Requirements” May 2, 1997 (PDF)
- CRS Report: “Enforcement of Congressional Rules of Conduct: An Historical Overview” November 11, 2008
- CRS Report: “Senate Select Committee on Ethics: A Brief History of Its Evolution and Jurisdiction” updated March 26, 2008
- CRS Report: "Congress and Pressure Groups: Lobbying in a Modern Democracy" June 1986 (PDF)
- Report to Congress by Independent Counsel in the Michael Deaver case: "Executive Branch Lobbying: Report to Congress on the Nature, Effects and Need for Regulation of Executive Branch Lobbying" (PDF)
Media coverage
- “Revolving Door, Bailout Edition” Mother Jones, April 9, 2009
- “Congress Plays Hide and Seek with Disclosure Documents” Bill Allison, Washington Examiner, April 9, 2009
- “Executive Branch Ethics: Let the Light Shine In” op-ed, New York Times, Whitney North Seymour Jr.
Sunlight resources (including all relevant blog posts)
- Transparency Wiki: Transparency Hub
- Transparency Timeline
- Upcoming transparency events
- Our Open Government List (OOGL) – voting on what the Open Government Directive should address
- Sunlight 3 page agenda
- Transparency in Government Act (on public markup)
- Lisa's proposed reform of LDA from Jan 9, 2009
- Blogposts (by Tag)
- Lobbying Disclosure
- "Obama's Stimulus Plan: The Movie," Daniel Schuman, May 12, 2009
- "Lobbying Disclosures Due Today," Paul Blumenthal, April 20, 2009
- "Countering the Reward Method of Corruption," Paul Blumenthal, April 14, 2009
- “A Vision of Real Time Lobbying Disclosure,” John Wonderlich, April 7, 2009
- “In Case You Weren't Convinced,” Paul Blumenthal, March 30, 2009
- “Lobbyists May Subvert Disclosure Laws to Lobby on Stimulus,” March 27, 2009
- “Recovery Lobbying Rules: Reversing the Disclosure Burden,” Paul Blumenthal, March 23, 2009
- “Apply New Lobby Rules Across the Board,” Paul Blumenthal, March 20, 2009
- “Obama Promises Much Tighter Lobbying Disclosure for Recovery Funds," Paul Blumenthal, March 20, 2009
- “Telling the Real Story,” Paul Blumenthal, March 3, 2009
- “International Sunlight,” Paul Blumenthal, February 29, 2008
- “New filing Requirements Will Reveal New Information,” Ellen Miller, February 5, 2008
- “Immigration Battle Exposes Inadequacies of Lobby Disclosure,” Bill Allison, June 27, 2007
- Lobbying Reform
- “Total Transparency Lobbying Form,” Ellen Miller, November 21, 2008
- “Is There More Backsliding on Earmark Reform,” Bill Allison, June 30, 2007
- “Congressional Staff Need to be Transparent Too,” Bill Allison, June 20, 2007
- “Lobbying Bill Vote Underway,” Paul Blumenthal, May 24, 2007
- “Amendments Submitted for the Lobbying Reform Bill,” Paul Blumenthal, May 23, 2007
- “Lobbying Bill Markup,” Paul Blumenthal, May 17, 2007
- “Put Personal Financial Disclosures Online,” Paul Blumenthal, May 14, 2007
- “Why We Need Faster Lobbying Disclosure II,” Bill Allison, December 21, 2006
- LDA
- "Preview of New White House Lobbying Policy," John Wonderlich, May 29, 2009
- "White House Lobbying Meeting: Public Debrief," John Wonderlich, May 6, 2009
- "New OMB Memo Clarifies Lobbying Restrictions," John Wonderlich, April 12, 2009
- "A Vision of Real-Time Lobbying Disclosure," John Wonderlich, April 7, 2009
- “Foreign Lobbying Around Bailout?,” Paul Blumenthal, March 17, 2009
- HLOGA
- "Countering the Reward Method of Corruption," Paul Blumenthal, April 14, 2009
- “GAO: Small Number of Lobbying Disclosures Are Wrong,” Paul Blumenthal, April 2, 2009
- “Telling the Real Story,” Paul Blumenthal, March 3, 2009
- “Congressional Lobbying Databases Updated,” Paul Blumenthal, January 27, 2009
- “FEC Thwarts Transparency,” Ellen Miller, December 19, 2008
- “Secret Hold on Bailout Oversight Lifted,” Paul Blumenthal, December 4, 2008
- “More on the Bailout Oversight Hold,” Paul Blumenthal, December 3, 2008
- “Caribbean Island Trip and Ethics Loopholes,” Paul Blumenthal, December 2, 2008
- “Hold Put On Bailout Oversight Office,” Paul Blumenthal, December 1, 2008
- “Reform Effect on Lobbyists,” Paul Blumenthal, October 28, 2008
- “In Broad Daylight: Massage Chairs and Sled Dogs,” Paul Blumenthal, September 9, 2009
- Lobbyists
- "New Lobbying Rules Round-Up," Paul Blumenthal, June 2, 2009
- "After FEC Eviscerates Bundling Disclosure Law, Only One Bundler Discloses," Paul Blumenthal, May 22, 2009
- "We Don't Need No Education," Paul Blumenthal, May 19, 2009
- "The Grim State of Affairs for Car Dealerships," Paul Blumenthal, May 14, 2009
- "Listing Earmarks in Lobbying Disclsures," Paul Blumenthal, May 13, 2009
- "Connecting Links: Criticism of Obama's Stimulus Lobbying Rules," Paul Blumenthal, May 12, 2009
- "The Lobbying Power of the Groups at the Presidential Health Care Pow-Wow," Paul Blumenthal, May 11, 2009
- "Should Lobbyists Be Required to Disclose Anything?" Paul Blumenthal, May 8, 2009
- "Raising the Expectation of Professionalism," Paul Blumenthal, May 6, 2009
- "Another Three Agencies Begin Posting Recovery Act Lobbying Contacts," Paul Blumenthal, April 29, 2009
- "Lobbyists Skirt Stimulus Lobbying Rules; Lower Registration Threshold," Paul Blumenthal, April 28, 2009
- "Meeting Becomes Example for Lobbyist Contact Disclosure," Paul Blumenthal, April 27, 2009
- "Thoughts on a Lord of Finance's Schedule," Paul Blumenthal, April 27, 2009
- "Should We Increase Lobbying Disclosure Requirements for Bailout Firms?" Paul Blumenthal, April 24, 2009
- "Three More Agencies Begin Posting Recovery Act Lobbying Contacts," Paul Blumenthal, April 22, 2009
- "The FCC, Ex Parte Communications, and Lobbying for Recovery Funds," Paul Blumenthal, April 22, 2009
- "PMA Group Brought Large Return on Investment for Clients," Paul Blumenthal, April 21, 2009
- "Is Obama's Revolving Door Rule Bad Policy?" Paul Blumenthal, April 20, 2009
- "Lobbying Disclosures Due Today," Paul Blumenthal, April 20, 2009
- "Decline in Campaign Fund Fortunes for PMA-linked Trio," Paul Blumenthal, April 17, 2009
- "Agencies Begin to Post Recovery Lobbying Contacts," Paul Blumenthal, April 15, 2009
- "Stimulus Lobbying Disclosure Order: No Legal Problem," Daniel Schuman, April 14, 2009
- "Revolving Door Bailout Army," Paul Blumenthal, April 9, 2009
- "Return on Lobbying Investment: 22,000%," Paul Blumenthal, April 9, 2009
- "GAO: Small Number of Lobbying Disclosures Are Wrong," Paul Blumenthal, April 2, 2009
- “Gillibrand's Sunlight Report Pulls Back The Curtain,” Paul Blumenthal, April 2, 2009
- “Which Came First, the Lobbyist or the Company?” Paul Blumenthal, March 25, 2009
- “The Details on Recovery Lobbying Rules,” Paul Blumenthal, March 23, 2009
- “Financial Sector Spent $5 Billion on Political Influence,” Paul Blumenthal, March 4, 2009
- “OGE Issues First Memo on Obama Ethics Order,” Paul Blumenthal, February 17, 2009
- “PMA Group Investigation,” Paul Blumenthal, February 11, 2009
- “Possible Justice Department Appointee to Require Lobbyist Waiver,” Paul Blumenthal, February 6, 2009
- “Transparency, Shmansparency,” Paul Blumenthal, February 6, 2009
- “And We're Back,” Paul Blumenthal, January 5, 2009
- “You Spin Me Right Round,” Paul Blumenthal, January 29, 2009
- “Washington State Lobbyist Disclosure,” Paul Blumenthal, October 17, 2008
- Lobbying Regulations
- "Obama's Stimulus Lobbying Rules: The Movie," Daniel Schuman, May 12, 2009
- “First FOIA Response on SF-LLLs,” Bill Allison, March 6, 2007
- “Looking into Lobbying Federal Contracts and Grants,” Bill Allison, February 2, 2007
- “Why We Need Faster Lobbying Disclosure,” Bill Allison, December 20, 2006
- Foreign Agent Registration Act
- “FARA Reports Shine Light on Dubai Dealings,” Paul Blumenthal, November 19, 2008
- “FARAdb Allows Digital Digging into Details of Lobbying,” Bill Allison, October 2, 2008
- “Foreign Agents Lobbying Reform,” Ellen Miller, June 12, 2008
- “McCain Campaign Loses a Foreign Agent Whose Firm is on the Saudi Payroll,” Bill Allison, May 19, 2008
- “Paying to not Play: Revisiting the Iron Triangle,” Bill Allison, April 16, 2008
- “FARA Puts Some Records Online,” Bill Allison, May 30, 2007
- Transparency
- "Help Sunlight Bid on Recovery.gov," Paul Blumenthal, June 17, 2009
- "Obama Blocks Visitor Log Disclosure," Paul BLumenthal, June 16, 2009
- "What's The Matter with New York?" Paul Blumenthal, June 9, 2009
- "Member Expenses Continued," Paul Blumenthal, June 5, 2009
- "Senate Judiciary Committee Posts Sotomayor Questionnaire Online," Paul Blumenthal, June 4, 2009
- "FDA Creates Transparency Task Force," Paul Blumenthal, June 2, 2009
- "New Lobbying Rules Round-Up," Paul Blumenthal, June 2, 2009
- "Redesigning the Government: The U.S. Supreme Court," Daniel Schuman, June 2, 2009
- “Revolving Door Bailout Army,” Paul Blumenthal, April 9, 2009
- “Return on Lobbying Investment: 22,000%,” Paul Blumenthal, April 9, 2009
- “Every Obama Administration Personal Financial Disclosure,” Paul Blumenthal, April 8, 2009
- “Top 10 Measurements for Transparency," Ellen Miller, April 5, 2009
- “Senate Votes in Support of Future Federal Reserve Lending Transparency,” Paul Blumenthal, April 2, 2009
- “Wash. Times Supports S. 482,” Paul Blumenthal, March 30, 2009
- Online Transparency
- “The Rise of Recovery.gov and the Virtuous Cycle of Transparency Innovation,” Greg Elin, March 19, 2009
- “FDIC: The Bailout Beyond TARP,” Lisa Chiu, March 3, 2009
- “Sen.-Designee Gillibrand's Transparency Record,” Paul Blumenthal, January 23, 2009
- “Will Change.gov Post State Funding Requests?” Bill Allison, December 12, 2008
- “Countdown to Reform Mandate,” Paul Blumenthal, July 28, 2008
- “Earmark Requests Overload House Servers,” Bill Allison, March 20, 2008
- “LegiStorm Posts Staffer Personal Financial Disclosures,” Paul Blumenthal, February 26, 2008
- “Senate Provides Better Tool for Tracking Lobbyists,” Bill Allison, January 2, 2008
- “GovernmentDocs.org Debuts from CREW,” Bill Allison, November 8, 2007
- “The Machine is Using Ron Paul,” Paul Blumenthal, November 6, 2007
- Personal Financial Disclosures
- “Unraveling Rangel,” Bill Allison, February 4, 2009
- “Home Loan Disclosures,” Paul Blumenthal, October 30, 2008
- “In Broad Daylight: FBI Peeks into VIP,” Paul Blumenthal, October 30, 2008
- “In Broad Daylight: Stevens Saga Continues,” Paul Blumenthal, October 28, 2008
- “In Broad Daylight: Stressed Out,” Paul Blumenthal, October 23, 2008
- “In Broad Daylight, K Street Reeling, K Street Rising,” Paul Blumenthal, October 22, 2008
- “In Broad Daylight: No Taxpayer Funded Lobbying,” Paul Blumenthal, October 21, 2008
- “In Broad Daylight: Rangel's Disclosure Discrepancies,” Paul Blumenthal, September 15, 2008
- Earmark Reform
- “Earmark Disclosure Diaspora,” Paul Blumenthal, January 7, 2009
- “Maybe We Need Some New Ideas for Earmark Reform?” Ellen Miller, March 18, 2008
- “Congress' Chief Admin Officer Orders Change to GOP Earmark Web Site,” Ellen Miller, February 21, 2008
- “Earmark Season Opens,” Paul Blumenthal, February 14, 2008
- “More Earmark Reform Needed,” Ellen Miller, November 1, 2007
- “Sunlight Still Needed,” Ellen Miller, October 31, 2007
- “Getting Serious About Earmarks,” Ellen Miller, October 2, 2007
- “Just How Effective Is Earmark Reform?” Ellen Miller, September 9, 2007
- “Earmark Reform: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” Ellen Miller, September 3, 2007
- “Is There More Backsliding on Earmark Reform?” Bill Allison, July 30, 2007
- Campaign Finance
- “Financial Firm Campaign Giving,” Paul Blumenthal, March 26, 2009
- “Who Can Hedge Funds Lean On?” Paul Blumenthal, March 26, 2009
- “Every Fundraiser in One Day,” Paul Blumenthal, March 23, 2009
- “Sunshine Week Editorials on S. 482,” Paul Blumenthal, March 16, 2009
- “Global Problems with Political Financing,” Ellen Miller, February 17, 2009
- “Auto Bailout and UAW PAC Contributions,” Paul Blumenthal, December 16, 2008
- “Auto Bailout, Foreign Plants, and Senate Votes,” Paul Blumenthal, December 15, 2008
- “Auto Industry Bailout: Money-Votes Analysis,” Paul Blumenthal, December 12, 2008
- “Big Three Ask for Money, Spend on Lobbying,” Paul Blumenthal, December 5, 2008
- S. 482 Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act
- “People Are Talking About Electronic Filing,” Nisha Thompson, April 7, 2009
- “Maybe 482 is a Lucky Number,” Ellen Miller, March 11, 2009
- “NYT Supports Electronic Filing,” Paul Blumenthal, March 9, 2009
- “Senate E-Filing Bill Reintroduced, Pass S. 482,” Paul Blumenthal, February 27, 2009
- Lobbying Disclosure
LDA resources - OpenCongress Wiki
