CEO DATELINE - Bill would prohibit lawmakers from becoming lobbyists
CEO DATELINE - Bill would prohibit lawmakers from becoming lobbyists
- August 7, 2015 |
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Walt Williams
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Two U.S. senators are taking another stab at a bill that would prevent federal lawmakers from becoming lobbyists after they leave Capitol Hill.
The "Close the Revolving Door Act" introduced by Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Al Franken (R-Minn.) would permanently ban House and Senate members from lobbying after they leave office. Current law prevents senators from lobbying for a two-year period after leaving Congress while House members need to wait one year.
Congressional staff also would be banned from lobbying for six years after they left the Hill.
Bennet first introduced the Close the Revolving Door Act in 2010. The legislation went nowhere. The senator has since reintroduced the bill a handful of times, and while there is no evidence he will be successful this time around, Bennet said in a statement that he would continue pushing the legislation as long as he is in Congress.
"Washington has become all too comfortable with the spin of the revolving door," Bennet said. "Lobbyists working for special interests shouldn't be allowed to hold more sway than the people back home in Colorado and around the country."
At least one association will be keeping an eye on the bill. Jim Clarke, senior vice president of public policy at ASAE, said that while it is within Congress's powers to set revolving door restrictions, his group believes the legislation goes too far.
"It's ASAE's opinion that members of Congress and congressional staff shouldn't be precluded from pursuing lobbying as a career opportunity after they leave the Hill," he said in a statement. "It's also our opinion that associations should be able to hire people who have Capitol Hill experience and who they feel can best represent their interests and manage their day-to-day operations."
Still, Clarke noted past iterations of the bill have failed to make any headway.
"While it's not likely to advance in this Congress, it's certainly an issue we will continue to watch," he said.
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