TOUGHENING ENFORCEMENT AND OVERSIGHT

Members of Congress, Executive Branch officials, senior staffers and lobbyists need to be held accountable for their actions. Yes, we do need new rules to clean up Washington, but we also need to be able to enforce the laws on the books. That is why the Special Interest Lobbying and Ethics Accountability Act:

• Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate and report to Congress twice annually on how the relevant House and Senate clerks and committees are performing in enforcing lobbying rules, and making appropriate recommendations. The GAO is charged with investigating whether the offices of the House clerk and Secretary of the Senate have the resources needed for effective oversight and enforcement and making appropriate recommendations.
• Mandates that the House Administration Committee and Judiciary Committee hold hearings on the GAO’s semiannual reports.
• Increases the potential civil penalty for failing to file lobbying reports from $50,000 to $100,000.
• Establishes a bipartisan task force to review ethics oversight and enforcement.