Fitzpatrick Champions Ethics Restoration

Press Release

Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-8) is calling on lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to restore long-standing transparency in privately-funded Congressional travel in response to Ethics Committee changes revealed this week no longer requiring the travel disclosure on Financial Disclosure forms for members of Congress.

"We are given a special trust by our constituents who send us to Washington as their representatives; they expect us to operate in an open and transparent manner. For decades, Members of Congress have been required to report any privately funded travel on their annual Financial Disclosure Statement," wrote Fitzpatrick in a letter to the Ethics Committee (attached). "I urge the committee to reinstate the reporting of privately funded travel on a Member's annual Financial Disclosure Statement."

Should the Ethics Committee not reverse their change, Fitzpatrick plans on introducing legislation when Congress resumes on Tuesday of next week to restore the reporting requirements. For decades, Members of Congress have been required to disclose privately-funded travel on their Financial Disclosure filings.

Fitzpatrick has been a leader in efforts to reform Congress and increase transparency, including introducing** and sponsoring* legislation to stop the revolving door between Congress and K Street, as well as bills to rein in Congressional pay and benefits:

Cooling Off Period Extension of Congress [H.R. 53]**

Extends the amount of time required for members who leave Congress to become lobbyists.

Lobbying Transparency and Accountability Act [H.R. 4667]**

Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require: (1) quarterly instead of semiannual filing of lobbying disclosures reports; (2) electronic filing; (3) maintenance of certain lobbying disclosure information in an electronic data base, available to the public free of charge via the Internet; (4) disclosure by registered lobbyists of all past executive and congressional employment; (5) disclosure of grass-roots lobbying activities by paid lobbyists; (6) disclosure of registered lobbyists' contributions and payments; (7) an increased penalty for failure to comply with lobbying disclosure requirements.

Most of these provisions have been adopted as the rules of the House.

Constitutional Term Limit Amendment [H.J.Res 8]**

Amends the Constitution of the United States to limit the number of terms that a Member of Congress may serve to 4 in the House of Representatives and 2 in the Senate.

Congressional Pay Freeze [H.R. 54]**

Ensures no member of Congress receives a pay raise during the 113th Congress.

Elimination of Congressional Pensions [H.R. 52]**

Terminates congressional pensions in order to put members of Congress on par with private-sector workers. The bill would limit members of Congress to investing in a 401k for retirement, like most Americans.

Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act [H.R. 1148/S. 716]*

Ensures members cannot make stock trades on non-public information and requires disclosure to clerk of any trades or purchases.

Signed into law April 4, 2012.

No Budget, No Pay Act [H.R. 310]*

Prevents members of Congress from receiving pay, including back pay, in an event they are unable to pass a budget.

Signed into law February 4, 2013.

Source