sub: BAN BRIBERY NOW!
PLEASE POST TO ALL YOUR FAVORITE NEWSGROUPS, FIDONET, COMPUSERVE, ETC.
==============================================
BAN BRIBERY NOW! September 22, 1994
==============================================
Supporting S.1935, the Lobbyist Gift Ban Bill
==============================================

SCUTTLEBUTT

A Senator's aide has confirmed that the conference committee has come to agreement on a number of issues and a House/Senate compromise gift ban will be coming out in the near future.

No one will say what is being compromised. Will it be the complete ban on lobbyist-financed travel? Will it be the loophole that allows a lobbyist's client to pay for a meal? We don't know.

One of the conferees, Rep. Mike Synar, was defeated in the primary. The rest of the conference committee is feeling the heat to show that they are cleaning up their act.

EDITORIAL

Everyone reading this must be very busy now, what with GATT, A-Z, and all the other battles you are fighting. But the gift ban is the people's biggest success so far.

For the first time, activists, working without publicity, without Rush Limbaugh, and with little outside support, pushed through a strong piece of government reform legislation. We did it by keeping after the Senate, day in and day out. And we won big!

Now it's overtime in the last game of the playoffs. We can win, lose, or tie. Here are the two remaining barriers to making it a blowout for the citizens:

1) Will the compromise bill eliminate the House's "designated payer" rule? This says that any employee of the lobbyist's client company that eats with them can pick up the tab. This is known around Washington as the "chaperon rule."

2) Will the compromise bill eliminate the House's exemption of free travel to charity events? This allows any lobbyist to schedule a golf or skiing trip, then write a check for $1,000 to a local charity and qualify the whole thing as a charity event.

If the answer is "yes" to these two questions, we can pat Congress on the back. But Congress has to hear from you or it won't happen.

Tom Foley is still our man. If he doesn't agree to strong reform, it won't happen. Please write or call Thomas Foley, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515. Explain that you support Senate bill 1935, banning all gifts to Members of Congress -- no free travel, no free meals.

Please also send a post card to S.1935 sponsor and chief Senate negotiator Sen. Carl Levin, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510, saying, "California (or your state) wants you to hang tough on 1935."

For those of you who are represented by one of these conferees or leaders, please phone them or write a postcard telling them to get with it and pass a strong gift ban. All area codes are (202). You can also call their local offices.

Rep. Bryant 225-2231, Rep. Synar 225-2701, Rep. Glickman 225-6216 Rep. Fish 225-5441, Rep. Gekas 225-4315, Rep. Gephardt 225-2671 Rep. Fazio 225-5716, Rep. Bonior 225-2106, Rep. Hoyer 225-4131 Sen. Levin 224-6221, Sen. Glenn 224-3353, Sen. Akaka 224-6361 Sen. Cohen 224-2523, Sen. Stevens 224-3004