Doggett, Smith Steer Provisions as House Passes Lobbying and 'Bundling' Reform Bills

WASHINGTON — Rep. Lloyd Doggett won a major victory Thursday in his five-year crusade to shine light on "stealth coalitions" that spend millions of dollars to lobby Congress without disclosing the identity of their membership.

"When deep-pocketed interests spend big money to influence public policy, the public has a right to know," the Austin, Texas, Democrat told his colleagues, a few hours before the House of Representatives passed an ethics bill that incorporates his provision to require coalitions to reveal their major financial backers.

The bill, which includes a ban on lawmakers accepting gifts, meals or trips from lobbyists, passed by a lopsided 396-22 vote.

Doggett has long decried a "gaping loophole" for avoiding the disclosure of lobbying clients if they are classified as a "coalition."

The Texas Democrat cited examples of Americans who have hired lobbyists to avoid paying taxes and others who sought to pressure Congress to "deny climate change."

The Congressional Research Service, a nonpartisan agency, recently reported that it has identified more than 800 of these secretive coalitions, many with nondescript names such as "Coalition for Children's Health" and "Coalition for Full Political Participation."

"Even a little light can do a lot of good," Doggett said on the House floor. "If wealthy interests want legislators to sing their tune, the public has a right to know who is paying the piper."

In a related move Thursday, the House passed legislation to require lobbyists to file disclosures when they raise money from a number of campaign donors and "bundle" the checks for delivery to a lawmaker.

Republicans, led by Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, forced the Democratic-led House to extend the requirement to "bundled" checks collected by political action committees that are set up by congressional leaders.

These leadership "PACs" often have "more narrow interests" than political parties, Smith said, noting that the PACs are favored by Democrats, who now hold the majority in Congress.

Rep. John Conyers, a Michigan Democrat who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, complained that the PAC issue was "not discussed in our committee" when the bill was drafted.

"I don't think it's going to be helpful to the bundling law at all," he said.

But enough Democrats joined the Republicans to approve Smith's measure by a vote of 228-192.

The Senate passed an ethics bill earlier this year. The measures will need to be reconciled in a House-Senate conference.