Honest Leadership and Open Government Act facts for kids
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Other short titles |
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Long title | An Act to provide greater transparency in the legislative process. |
Acronyms (colloquial) | HLOGA |
Enacted by | the 110th United States Congress |
Effective | September 14, 2007 |
Citations | |
Public law | 110-81 |
Statutes at Large | 121 Stat. 735 |
Codification | |
Titles amended | 2 U.S.C.: Congress |
U.S.C. sections amended | 2 U.S.C. ch. 26 § 1601 et seq. |
Legislative history | |
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The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (HLOGA) is a United States federal law. It changed parts of an older law called the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995. This new law made rules stricter for people who try to influence government decisions, known as lobbyists.
HLOGA aimed to make sure that lobbying activities and their funding were more open to the public. It also put more limits on gifts that members of Congress and their helpers could receive. Plus, it made sure that special spending requests, called earmarks, were clearly shown in spending bills. President George W. Bush signed this important law on September 14, 2007.
Contents
- Who Helped Create This Law?
- What Does the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act Do?
Who Helped Create This Law?
This law was first suggested by Senator Harry M. Reid. He was the main sponsor of the bill. Many other senators also supported the bill and helped it move forward.
What Does the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act Do?
This law has several important parts. It aims to make sure that government decisions are made fairly and openly. It also tries to prevent people from using their past government jobs to gain unfair advantages.
Making Lobbying More Open
HLOGA made it easier for everyone to see what lobbyists are doing. Lobbyists are people who try to influence lawmakers.
How Often Do Lobbyists Report?
The law made lobbyists report their activities more often. Instead of twice a year, they now have to report every three months. This means more up-to-date information for the public.
Public Online Database
All these reports must be filed online. This information is then put into a public database. Anyone can search this database to see who is lobbying and what they are spending.
Stronger Penalties for Breaking Rules
If lobbyists don't follow the rules, the penalties are much tougher now. Fines for breaking the law went up a lot. There can also be jail time for serious rule-breaking.
Checking Up on Lobbyists
A group called the Government Accountability Office (GAO) now checks lobbyists every year. They make sure lobbyists are following all the rules. Lobbyists also have to promise they haven't given illegal gifts.
Showing Who Pays for Lobbying
The law also requires groups that spend a lot of money on lobbying to show who is contributing to them. This helps everyone see where the money comes from.
Rules for Political Donations
HLOGA added new rules about how lobbyists give money to political campaigns.
Reporting Campaign Contributions
Lobbyists must now tell the Federal Election Commission (FEC) if they collect and give more than $15,000 in campaign money. This applies to money given to candidates for president, senator, or representative.
Other Financial Disclosures
Lobbyists also have to report money they give to things like presidential libraries. They also report payments to groups named after or honoring members of Congress.
Stopping the "Revolving Door"
The "revolving door" refers to people who leave government jobs and then become lobbyists. They might use their old connections to influence decisions. This law tries to slow that down.
Waiting Period for Senators
Senators now have to wait two years after leaving office before they can become lobbyists. Before, they only had to wait one year. This helps prevent them from using their recent connections.
Rules for Other Government Workers
Senior staff members in Congress also have waiting periods. They cannot lobby their old offices for one year after leaving. Top executive branch officials also have similar rules.
No Influence on Hiring
The law makes it illegal for members of Congress or their staff to pressure private companies to hire people based only on their political party. Breaking this rule can lead to big fines or even jail time.
Rules About Gifts and Travel
HLOGA made stricter rules about gifts and travel for members of Congress.
No Gifts from Lobbyists
Lobbyists are not allowed to give gifts or pay for travel for members of Congress. This helps prevent lobbyists from trying to influence lawmakers with gifts.
Fair Prices for Private Flights
If candidates for Senate or President use private planes, they must pay the full market price for the flight. This means they can't get cheap flights as a special favor. House candidates cannot use non-commercial aircraft at all.
Rules for Attending Events
Senators and their staff can accept free entry to events in their home state. But there must be no registered lobbyists there. Also, any food served must cost less than $50.
Travel Paid by Outside Groups
If an outside group pays for a member's travel, this information must be posted online. This makes it public for everyone to see.
Protecting Congressional Pensions
This law also deals with retirement benefits for members of Congress.
Losing Retirement Benefits
Members of Congress can lose their retirement benefits if they are found guilty of serious crimes related to their official duties. This includes things like taking bribes or not being honest.
Ethics Rules for Congress
The law also updated the rules for how members of Congress should act.
Reporting Job Negotiations
Members of Congress must tell the public if they are talking about a future job before their term ends. This helps avoid conflicts of interest. Senior staff must also report job talks.
Spouses Who Are Lobbyists
If a senator's spouse is a registered lobbyist, they are not allowed to lobby any Senate office. This helps prevent conflicts of interest within families.
Ethics Training
All senators and their staff must now take ethics training. This helps them understand the rules and how to act properly.
Annual Ethics Reports
The Senate Ethics Committee must publish yearly reports. These reports show how many rule violations were looked into and what happened with them. This makes the ethics process more open.
Making the Legislative Process More Open
HLOGA also brought more openness to how laws are made in Congress.
No More Secret Holds
Senators used to be able to secretly delay a bill or nomination. Now, if a senator wants to delay something, they must publicly say so within five days.
Public Meetings Online
Senate committees and subcommittees must now post videos, audio, or written records of all their public meetings online. This means people can see and hear what happens.
Open Conference Committees
The law states that meetings where House and Senate members work out differences in bills should be open to the public.
Clearer Spending Requests (Earmarks)
All special spending requests, called earmarks, must be clearly identified in bills. They also have to be posted online at least 48 hours before a vote. Senators must also promise they won't personally benefit financially from an earmark they request.