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Article: CONGRESSIONAL ROUNDUP; Senate Rules Committee makes first moves on overhauling lobbyist access; Pet projects added to bills in House-Senate negotiations would be vulnerable, as would gifts except meals.(NEWS)
- Article from:
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
- Article date:
- March 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Star Tribune Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Aaron Blake; Staff Writer
Washington, D.C. -- The Senate Rules Committee unanimously approved a plan Tuesday that would allow the chamber to strip senators' pet projects from must-pass bills and would ban all gifts from lobbyists except meals.
Committee members called the action the first step toward lobbying reform two months after the Jack Abramoff scandal swept the Capitol. The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will draft its legislation Thursday, and the Senate is scheduled to vote on the measures next week.
"I believe our reputation is at stake," said Rules committee member Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii. "At this ...