Rep. Davis on New Ethics Rules
Virginian Tom Davis, the ranking Republican on the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, had some interesting thoughts today on the forthcoming ban on lobbyist-funded travel.
He said the prohibition will have a major impact on lawmakers' ability to converse with key players in the high-tech sector and understand issues important to them. "We're only as good as the information we have," Davis said, and the new rules cut off "a line of communication that I think can be very important."
The rules have "thrown the baby out with the bathwater," Davis quipped. "There's a better way to stop these Abramoff trips," he said, alluding to the disgraced lobbyist who was convicted of giving elaborate trips and gifts to legislators.
He said one way to skirt the ban is by turning certain destinations into political action committee-affiliated excursions but groups that do not have PACs will be left out. International trips, many of which are sponsored by nonprofits who lobby, will also change, Davis said.
In the future, the State Department or Defense Department will be fully in charge of congressional delegations' itineraries and will completely control where lawmakers go and who they see when they travel overseas, he said.
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