The New York Times

By Glen Justice

December 17, 2005

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 - Senator John McCain, the Arizona Republican who heads a committee in the Senate that helped uncover this year's lobbying scandal, introduced a bill on Friday to increase the restrictions and disclosure requirements that apply to lobbyists and public officials.

If enacted, the measure will compel the release of new information about how Washington's 27,000 registered lobbyists influence the administration and Congress, including new reporting requirements for campaign contributions, gifts and travel. It would also tighten rules for public officials who leave the government to lobby.

The bill comes in the wake of investigations into the Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his partners amid accusations that they used donations, meals and lavish trips to curry favor with public officials as they made millions of dollars representing Indian tribes and other clients. Michael Scanlon, a former partner, pleaded guilty last month to conspiring to bribe a member of Congress and other public officials.

"This bill will toss some disinfectant on those practices," said Mr. McCain, who is chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, which uncovered many of the details.

The bill's prospects are unclear as members of Congress prepare to head home for the holidays, but Mr. McCain is no stranger to long legislative battles. He and his allies fought for sweeping changes to the campaign finance system for almost a decade before succeeding in 2002.

The new bill, which Mr. McCain introduced on the Senate floor on Friday, would require lobbyists to disclose money they contributed to public officials, report fund-raisers they sponsored, list any gift they gave worth $20 or more and disclose when they helped finance travel.

Grass-roots lobbying groups would also be required to report their activities, including how much they raised, where it came from and where it was spent.

The bill would also affect public officials who left government to lobby, doubling to two years the amount of time they must wait before they can lobby their former office and requiring them to disclose job negotiations that take place while still in office.