Davis Wants Stricter Rules for Lobbyists
By Tony Batt
Columbia Daily Hearld Washington Bureau
February 2, 2006

WASHINGTON - Former members of Congress should not be allowed to lobby on the House floor or in other congressional facilities such as the House gym, Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn. said Wednesday.

Although he has not been lobbied in the House by former lawmakers since being elected in 2002, Davis said, "I don't want that to happen."

The House passed a resolution on Wednesday that would revoke gym and floor privileges for lawmakers-turned-lobbyists. The measure was one response to the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal that has rocked Congress in recent months.

Davis voted for the bill, which passed, 379-50.

Current law allows former members of Congress to lobby the House and Senate after a one-year cooling-off period. Davis said he would like to see the cooling-off period extended indefinitely.

"When lawmakers set aside dollars for road projects in their district, I support that," Davis said. "But I oppose earmarks for lobbyists who are representing some special interest group."

Davis said he was pleased to hear President Bush endorse lobbying reform during Tuesday night's state of the union address.

The congressman was even more enthusiastic to hear the president urge a more bipartisan approach in Congress.

"I am extremely excited about the president's call for us to work in a bipartisan way to solve America's problems," Davis said. "I assume that would include input from Democrats on decision-making in the House and the Senate."

Davis said the president should seek advice from groups of experts on issues ranging from education and energy to the war in Iraq.

"I had a lady call me, and she has a grandson who is a young Marine with five years of service. Now, he's been told he has to spend another year in Iraq," Davis said. "We need a bipartisan group of Republican and Democrats who don't just tell us to stay the course in Iraq, but tell us how to win the war quicker."

The president's speech was a rehash of some of his previous state of the union addresses, Davis said.

"What he said was what I would say if I were president and what former and future presidents would say," Davis said. "Whether he is successful in implementing what he said may be a different story."