Freshmen reformers led by Rep. Karen Shepherd, R-Utah, failed to force an expected vote to ban all gifts by lobbyists - and the issue was put on hold until next year.
But Shepherd, co-chairwoman of the Democratic Freshman Task Force on Reform, viewed the reform cup as half-full rather than half-empty because the House on Monday passed most proposals freshman Democrats had pushed for campaign finance reform. The vote was 255-175.Still, she and other freshmen were upset they could not win the vote on the gift ban - and even held an afternoon press conference Monday blasting their party leaders and Republicans who they thought had agreed to allow the vote.
"I'm very upset about this," Shepherd said. "It's one of the things we cared about as much as anything."
Freshmen acknowledged they didn't know exactly what had hit them. Democratic leadership, they said, blamed a switch in expected Republican support for putting off the vote. But Democrats could have allowed it without Republican support - and Republicans blamed problems on Democrats.
Shepherd said the gift ban has plenty of opponents in both parties who worry about losing free games of golf and dinners from lobbyists. But she said most members would still not dare to vote against such reform - so it should easily pass if it can ever come to a vote.
"It is a tragic but true statement to say that most everyday Americans believe that lobbyists, with their bottomless expense accounts and Washington contacts, have more influence on members than their constituents do," she said.
The bill she and other freshmen are pushing would redefine lobbyists to be anyone who spends at least 10 percent of their time lobbying - and would require all of them to register. Few lobbyists must now register because of loopholes in laws.
The change would ban all gifts from lobbyists - even as small as a cup of coffee. It would allow "non-lobbyist" heads of companies to still pay for meals or other gifts within current limits and disclosure requirements.
So Shepherd said the only way a lobbyist could take a member to dinner would be to have the company president come along - which would stop most such activity and constant fraternization between lobbyists and members.
Companies could still pay to send members to resort locations to participate in conventions - but the law would continue to require full disclosure, and force members to arrive and leave within 24 hours of active participation in such conventions.