PRESS STATEMENT
-For Immediate Release-
July 11, 2007

Contact: Brian Gumm, (202) 234-8494, bgumm@ombwatch.org

OMB Watch Joins the Call to Move Lobby Reform Legislation Forward

WASHINGTON, July 11, 2007—OMB Watch joins with the Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, Democracy 21, the League of Women Voters, Public Citizen, U.S. PIRG and other organizations in strongly condemning current efforts to block the Senate from going to conference on lobbying and ethics reform legislation, which the Senate passed in January.

Following the numerous ethics and lobbying corruption scandals last year, from Jack Abramoff to Mark Foley, and the clear mandate from voters in last November's elections, Congress's continued failure to enact reforms to police itself is inexcusable.

"Appointment of a conference committee on this vital reform package is long overdue, and the public is losing patience," said Gary D. Bass, Executive Director of OMB Watch. "There is no excuse for further delay — overwhelming majorities in the House and Senate stand ready to pass this bill."

We understand that at least one senator is blocking this bill from moving forward to ensure the senator's provision is part of the conference negotiation. OMB Watch concurs that both the House and Senate bills could be made stronger. But the best way to make that happen is to move to a conference where the better of the two bills can be approved by Congress and signed into law by the president.

We strongly urge Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) to join with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) in offering and supporting the cloture motions needed to get the lobbying and ethics reform bill to conference.

The public has waited long enough.

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