- Statement by LobbySense in Response to
Markup of S. 2128 - The Lobbying Transparency and Accountability Act
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- Senators Vote to Restrict Free Speech
for Citizen Activists
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- FAIRFAX, VA -- "Today the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs Committee passed onerous disclosure rules on America's grassroots
activists that infringe on several First Amendment protections including
freedom of speech, assembly and the ability of citizens to petition the
government," stated Kerri Houston, National Spokesperson for The LobbySense
Coalition.
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- "These restrictions are part of
a Lobby Reform bill that should be targeted at Congress, not at groups
that bring the people's message to Congress."
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- The original author of the language,
Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) backed
away from the grassroots constraints in the bill, but the Lieberman (D-CT)
and Levin (D-MI) amendment to regulate grassroots activities passed 10-6.
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- All seven committee Democrats voted for
it (Lieberman, Levin, Akaka (HI), Carper (DE), Dayton (MN), Lautenberg
(NJ), and Pryor (AR); as did Republicans Stevens (AK), Voinovich (OH),
and Chafee (RI). Voting "no" were Republicans Coleman (MN), Coburn
(OK), Bennett (UT), Domenici (AZ), and Warner (VA), in addition to Collins.
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- "What is extraordinary is that Senator
Ted Stevens of Alaska not only voted for these disclosure and mobilization
restrictions, but embraced them. It seems odd that Senator Stevens wants
to slap duct tape on the very free-market economic and environmental organizations
that have stood behind the policy issue most important to him - America's
need for prudent and environmentally sound drilling in ANWR. These "grassroots"
include many of our coalition partners as well as the Inupiat and other
Alaskan citizen activists in his home state who have gone to the mat for
him on this issue," stated Jason Wright, LobbySense Executive Director.
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- "The bill will proceed to the floor
for a vote next week, and the 50-plus members of the LobbySense coalition
will continue to be active and vocal against these restrictions. We will
encourage Congress to focus instead on real solutions to actual problems
-- increased transparency for Congress, enhanced and enforced criminal
statues for lawbreakers, and restraints on the spending that caused the
corruption in the first place,' Houston concluded.
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- The complete Amendment and a summary
is available at www.LobbySense.com
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