Lobbying Disclosure: Themes and Issues, 110th Congress (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised May 29, 2007 |
| Report Number |
RL33798 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
R. Eric Petersen, Government and Finance Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
Recent incidents concerning a convicted lobbyist and the provision of privately funded travel, free meals and entertainment by lobbyists to Members of Congress, congressional staff, and some executive branch officials have focused broad public and congressional attention on the interactions between government officials and lobbyists. The First Amendment to the Constitution provides opportunity for interest groups to participate in public policy making by prohibiting laws abridging freedom of speech, while guaranteeing the right of the people to peaceably assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances, but lobbying is controversial. Any consideration of current law related to lobbying will likely involve discussing the balance between open, transparent, and accountable governance through thorough public disclosure of activities carried out by lobbyists, and the rights of lobbyists, on their own, or on behalf of a client, to exercise constitutionally guaranteed rights. The attention of policy makers has in the past focused in two general areas: (1) the efficacy of current lobbying disclosure requirements; and (2) congressional rules governing interactions between lobbyists, Members of Congress, and their staffs, and statutes governing similar relationships between lobbyists and executive branch officials. This report focuses primarily on issues related to lobbying disclosure procedures and their potential amendment.
