Date: Wed, 5 Oct 1994 09:42:44 -0400
Subject: UWSA Position on Gift Reform


Congressional Reform Briefings			10/5/94

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	In a further attempt to clear up any confusion surrounding why 
citizens should support Lobbing Disclosure/Gift Reform legislation, I 
attach a copy of an internal United We Stand America memorandum in 
support of the Lobbying Disclosure Act conference report.

UNITED WE STAND AMERICA, Inc. 

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE


TO:      	State Chairs and Congressional District Coordinators (via fax)
         	Regional and State Directors  (via cc:mail)

FROM:   	Russ Verney

SUBJECT:        LOBBYING DISCLOSURE ACT

DATE:           October 4, 1994

The Lobbying Disclosure/Gift Reform legislation is in the final, critical 
phase of completion.  The House, by a 306-112 vote, approved the 
Committee of Conference report on Thursday, September 29.  The 
Senate is expected to approve the report before the end of this 
legislative session.  However, it may be held up on a procedural vote 
on matters unrelated to the substance of the legislation. 

The bill does not require our volunteer members to report their 
activities and it does not affect a UWSA member's right of free 
speech.  

A provision in the Conference Committee report addresses 
"grassroots organizations" and establishes reporting requirements. 
UWSA will have to report some of the national issues department's 
activities and expenses as they relate to researching, communicating 
and advocating public policy positions. For instance the salary and 
overhead associated with the percentage of my time devoted to 
public policy will definitely have to be reported.  The national staff 
people who directly assist me and their associated costs will have to 
be reported.  The cost of transmitting a message like this one via fax 
and the electronic mail system would have to be reported. 

There is nothing in the bill that infringes on our members' rights to 
communicate with their elected or hired government officials and 
nothing in the bill would require us to report our membership lists 
or our members' volunteer activities.

Members of UWSA, who are not paid to influence public policy, will 
not have to report any of their activities under this bill.  The 
Lobbying Disclosure/Gift Reform bill requires anyone who 1) is 
retained to influence public policy; 2) spends more than 10% of their 
time influencing public policy; AND 3) spends more than $2,500 
lobbying to disclose their research time as well as their 
communication costs and contacts with members of Congress and the 
administration. 

This legislation will establish the Office of Lobbying Registration and 
Public Disclosure, which will interpret and enforce the bill's 
provisions. If the bill passes, the reporting requirements will not go 
into effect until January 1996.  During the interim period the new 
agency overseeing the compliance of the law will have to propose 
rules and UWSA will participate in the rule making process.

UWSA continues to support passage of the Lobbying Disclosure/Gift 
Reform bill.  This bill will reduce the special interest influence on 
policy makers by closing the loopholes lobbyist use to provide gifts 
and junkets to public officials.  The requirement for paid lobbyists to 
disclose their contacts with members of Congress and administration 
officials will probably swell the number of registered lobbyists from 
8,000 to more than 50,000.  Foreign lobbyists are not eliminated by 
this bill but they are required to report more of their activities.  One 
great improvement to this bill would be to ELIMINATE foreign 
lobbyists.
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	For more information about congressional reform issues including 
campaign finance reform, term limits, prohibiting the personal use of 
campaign funds, cutting the pay and pensions of members of Congress, 
strengthening the Federal Election Committee, and other reforms, contact 
the Congressional Accountability Project at (202) 296-2787 or send e-mail 
to gary@essential.org.

	The Congressional Accountability Project is a part of Public 
Citizen, founded by Ralph Nader.

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Gary Ruskin
Congressional Accountability Project	|   Internet:	gary@essential.org
P.O. Box 19446
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 296-2787  Fax: (202) 833-2406