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The Sunlight Foundation was founded in 2006 with the goal of using technology to enable citizens to learn more about what their elected representatives are doing, to help reduce corruption, ensure greater transparency and... [more]
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Sunlight's Reform Agenda
Sunlight has updated and refined our legislative priorities in order to generate greater change and a more transparent Congress.
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Sunlight's Reform Priorities
Sunlight has updated and refined our legislative priorities in order to generate greater change and a more transparent Congress. In addition to the legislative changes outlined below, we hope to create a transparency caucus advisory committee that will further the transparency conversation on Capitol Hill. Our full Sunlight Agenda, and the principles behind it, can be found here. Within that Agenda we have identified four specific priorities. They would all create meaningful change, and we believe they are achievable in the short term:
1.) Meaningful lobbyist disclosure. All who are paid to engage in direct issue advocacy with lawmakers and their staff should be required to register, and all registered lobbyists should disclose all legislative contacts, all legislation and regulations discussed, and any relationship to a current member of Congress, staff member, or executive branch employee. Ideally, lobbyist reports should be filed online within 24 hours of any meeting or contribution. At a minimum, timely disclosure would require monthly reporting Bundled contributions from any source should be disclosed.
2.) Contemporaneous online filing. The public reports currently required of lawmakers should be filed electronically and shared online in a downloadable, searchable, sortable format within 24 hours of their filing. The Senate should follow the House's lead and make Personal Financial Disclosure reports available online, and both bodies should ensure that online disclosure of any public report is not delayed beyond 24 hours of filing. Likewise, campaign finance reports should be electronically filed in the Senate as they are in the House, and should be publicly available within 24 hours. Personal Financial Disclosure reports should be amended to require disclosure of the affiliations of Members (and their spouses and their adult children) with political action committees, "Leadership" PACs, and any 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) organizations. They should also disclose immediate family members' employment or other economic relationships with for profit and not-for-profit entities.
3.) Ending secret legislation. All non-emergency legislation should be posted online, in its final form, at least 72 hours before a vote. The spirit of recently enacted rules changes on earmark disclosure should be upheld by ensuring that all information related to earmarks, including the purpose of the earmarks as well as identification of the beneficiaries should be made available online 72 hours before a vote on the legislation containing the earmarks.
4) Make congressional research, databases and other information publicly accessible. Congressional Research Service reports, Legislative Information System documents and other non-classified research or information available to members of Congress and their staff should be made available, online and free of charge, to the public.
I used to be against term limits as I didn't want to lose a good congress person. Now, however, I feel that 12 years service is long enough, two terms for a senator and 3 terms for a representative (I would like to see a representative's term changed from 2 years to 4 years). This, I believe, would have an effect on lobbyists who get in the pockets of career politicians. Increasing the pay of congress persons dramatically (say one million dollars annually) would also help to reduce the influence of lobbyists. Politicians need to return to representing their constituents, not the lobbyists.
What occured to me while reading these posts is that 100-200 years ago, a representative spent probably 1 month a year in Congress, and the rest at home. What may have happened was a big issue would come up (along the lines major tariffs and taxes, to slavery and voting) and the people in the district would say "hey, I believe this way on this 1 issue, and so does he... so I'll vote for him to be my rep". Was there was less legislation? i would think so... now we send reps based on our stand on, oh on Iraq. Yes they make that vote, but also vote on many thing I we never hear of, or much less would care about if asked, but nevertheless have large and long repercussions.
My question: what would be at least a step towards a rep getting only 1 vote in office? What, with all our new resources, can get us closer to democracy? (yes, 'transparent' reps & records would get more people into Participation. But what else?)
These three modest proposals are a good start, especially the one about postings. It would be marvelous to have online postings of reports, not only from members of Congress but from the Congressional Research Service as well.
Michael Riggs
http://www.publicreadings...
Our archaic Presidential election sytem -- as outlined by Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution -- merits no more life support from the two major corporate parties. The patient has long since flatlined as far as expressing the wishes of a nation-state. In fact, the Electoral College is best viewed as the keel of a rudderless ship. One which insures a two-party system that no longer has to listen to the people to win Presidential elections. The 2000 election alone should have prompted the few principled lawmakers in Congress to introduce legislation to remove Article II, Section 1 from the highest document in the land.
If the American people still prefer a two-party system, let them say so on the open field of political discourse -- undiluted by major corporations pouring money into the relatively few states required to win the White House in a "winner take all" system.
Just as archaic is the system to resolve an Electoral College deadlock. Having each state cast one vote in the House -- invariably based on the majority party of the delegation in that state -- is the least democratic way to settle any election.
For years, Southern states maintained a system in their gubernatorial primaries that provided the recourse of a run-off election if a candidate didn't win an outright majority. Some European democracies run what's called an "instant run-off" election where voters first choose among several candidates. Voters also select a candidate between the likely vote leaders if the first election is inconclusive. If neither selection process achieves a majority, then a run-off election is held.
We all know will never have a perfect system to elect a President. Yet, we still maintain one of the worst systems because the "Founding Fathers" incorporated this system into the "greatest document the world has ever known." In truth, the Constitutional Convention of 1787 designed a system where representatives in one chamber of a bicameral Federal legislature were the only office holders elected by direct popular vote. What our Fathers ultimately had in mind was a system that protected the country's leaders from so-called "mob rule." Meaning: that what they wanted a republic -- rather than a democracy -- in which the aristocracy and landowners ran things for everyone else. That's what happens when conspirators prosper -- only to pull the ladder to the corridors of power up behind them.
Moving Federal elections to Sunday speaks for itself. Virtually all other Western democracies do this to increase the popular vote and allow the least well off to vote more often. People who decline to vote on a Sunday for religious reasons can cast absentee ballots.
we as citizens made a bad choice here....had the federal senate still been appointed by the state legislatures we would not have unfunded mandates
Each and every contact with a member or their staff should be reported indicating the bill number discussed and subject. Any and all written communications to a member/staff about a bill/legislation should be available for public view.
I believe we need some immediate changes in how long and who serves in office. First off, I think the President should have one six year term, and no chance of reelection. As it is now, they spend the last two years campaigning for another term anyways.
Secondly, I think the time has come, to prohibit relatives of current office holders to seek office immediately after the current term expires. ie. The Clinton's, Bush's, Kennedys, and so on. Senators and congressmen should also be limited to how long they can serve. We need fresh blood with energy in todays world. We don't need a good old boy network of self serving money and power hungry politicians there for life.
Current Projects
PublicMarkup.org An experiment to open bills to online, public review.
Where Are They Now? Former Congressional Staffers head through the Revolving Door on to K Street.
Punch Clock Map: Putting congressional transparency on the map
Earmark Watch: Bringing Citizen Oversight to Congressional Spending
Wiki the Vote: Giving constituents the ability to report on candidates running for the House and Senate
A word from our Sponsor
Ongoing Projects
Realtime Investigations: Follow along as Bill and Anu detail their investigative reporting adventures.
LOUIS is the beginning of a comprehensive, completely indexed and cross-referenced depository of federal documents.
The OpenHouse Project: Working to identify areas where Congress can open up and improve access to relevant and timely information.
OpenCongress: Bringing together official government information with news and blog coverage to give you the real story behind what's happening in Congress.
Past Projects
Visualizing Earmarks: Select Visualizations of 2005 OMB Earmark Data.
Mashup Congress and Win:
And the Winner is... Unfluence! We received more than a dozen entries to Sunlight's first Web 2.0 Mashup Contest.
Congressional Web Site Investigation:Employing citizen oversight to find out if we are getting our money’s worth from congressional Web sites.
Today's Ethics Watch
Senator’s Ties to Real Estate Draw Criticism: He has made millions as a title insurance executive, landlord and real estate developer in this college town, where the economy, despite trouble nationwide, is still growing nicely. Now, as a United States senator, with the mortgage mess fueling a national economic slowdown, Richard C. Shelby has more say over the revamping of housing finance laws than almost anyone else in Congress. (New York Times)
Oil Lobby Reaches Out to Citizens Peeved at the Pump: Faced with a national outcry over the high price of gasoline and soaring profits for energy companies, the oil and gas industry is waging an unusually pricey campaign to burnish its image. (Washington Post)
Lawmakers Accused of Flouting Rules on Use of Staff: Democratic Reps. Jane Harman and Neil Abercrombie spent more than $2 million on their 2006 reelection campaigns but paid only $5,000 to campaign workers, according to campaign finance reports. (Washington Post)
NAM discloses member list: The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) disclosed certain member companies on Thursday after failing to win a reprieve from the U.S. Supreme Court. (The Hill)
Clinton introduces bill to post contractor violations on the Web: Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., has introduced a bill that would force contractors to self-report criminal actions or government overpayments to agency inspectors general under the threat of potential disbarment or suspension. The misconduct would then be made publicly available on a searchable Web site. (GovExec)
Rep. Abercrombie questions ethics of ethics bill handling: Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) is challenging actions by his Democratic leaders and plans to ask the ethics committee to determine whether House rules were broken during a recent ethics vote. (The Hill)
A futile walk down Coconut Road?: The House agreed Wednesday to ask the Justice Department to investigate the now infamous Coconut Road earmark, but don’t hold your breath waiting for indictments. (Politico)
Young, Jefferson quiet as Coconut Road earmark nears vote in House: Reps. Don Young (R-Alaska) and William Jefferson (D-La.) are keeping mum on whether they will vote for a bill that includes language calling on the Department of Justice (DoJ) to investigate the notorious Coconut Road earmark when that measure comes to the House floor Wednesday. (The Hill)
Ethics Complaints Sheathed: Even though both Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) recently called for the ethics committee to investigate members of the other’s party — fighting words by any standard — neither took the next step of triggering an investigation, effectively pulling their punches. (Roll Call)
New disclosure reports lack clarity: The much-touted new lobbying disclosure reports are now available. But beware: They do little to make it easier to track the nation’s influence class. (Politico)
Lawmakers Want Hearing on Ties Between Sect, Defense Contracts: The Defense Department has contracted with three companies that are closely tied to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and some lawmakers want to know if money from those deals supported the sect, whose ranch was raided this month after allegations of child abuse. (Washington Post)
[ More in the Archive ]
Oil Lobby Reaches Out to Citizens Peeved at the Pump: Faced with a national outcry over the high price of gasoline and soaring profits for energy companies, the oil and gas industry is waging an unusually pricey campaign to burnish its image. (Washington Post)
Lawmakers Accused of Flouting Rules on Use of Staff: Democratic Reps. Jane Harman and Neil Abercrombie spent more than $2 million on their 2006 reelection campaigns but paid only $5,000 to campaign workers, according to campaign finance reports. (Washington Post)
NAM discloses member list: The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) disclosed certain member companies on Thursday after failing to win a reprieve from the U.S. Supreme Court. (The Hill)
Clinton introduces bill to post contractor violations on the Web: Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., has introduced a bill that would force contractors to self-report criminal actions or government overpayments to agency inspectors general under the threat of potential disbarment or suspension. The misconduct would then be made publicly available on a searchable Web site. (GovExec)
Rep. Abercrombie questions ethics of ethics bill handling: Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) is challenging actions by his Democratic leaders and plans to ask the ethics committee to determine whether House rules were broken during a recent ethics vote. (The Hill)
A futile walk down Coconut Road?: The House agreed Wednesday to ask the Justice Department to investigate the now infamous Coconut Road earmark, but don’t hold your breath waiting for indictments. (Politico)
Young, Jefferson quiet as Coconut Road earmark nears vote in House: Reps. Don Young (R-Alaska) and William Jefferson (D-La.) are keeping mum on whether they will vote for a bill that includes language calling on the Department of Justice (DoJ) to investigate the notorious Coconut Road earmark when that measure comes to the House floor Wednesday. (The Hill)
Ethics Complaints Sheathed: Even though both Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) recently called for the ethics committee to investigate members of the other’s party — fighting words by any standard — neither took the next step of triggering an investigation, effectively pulling their punches. (Roll Call)
New disclosure reports lack clarity: The much-touted new lobbying disclosure reports are now available. But beware: They do little to make it easier to track the nation’s influence class. (Politico)
Lawmakers Want Hearing on Ties Between Sect, Defense Contracts: The Defense Department has contracted with three companies that are closely tied to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and some lawmakers want to know if money from those deals supported the sect, whose ranch was raided this month after allegations of child abuse. (Washington Post)
[ More in the Archive ]
A citizen Congress would be more amenable to 'transparency' than our current crop of career politicians. Congressional Term Limits should
be one of your priorities.
Nelson Lee Walker
tenurecorrupts.com
No politician should be allowed unlimited reelection...even if he has the votes!