
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, November 30, 1995                   TAG: 9511300064
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press|
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

LOBBYIST DISCLOSURE COMING

Stung by polls indicating the public believes lobbyists have runaway influence in Washington, Congress passed a measure Wednesday that would require lobbyists to disclose their clients, their issues and their spending.

President Clinton, who has said he would sign the bill containing the first overhaul of lobbying law in half a century, said it will ``help restore the trust of the people in their government.''

Rep. Charles Canady, R-Fla., a primary sponsor of the bill, said, ``There may be some activities that have been going on quietly, secretly, that will stop because of the light of day.''

Earlier this month the House passed a ban on gifts from lobbyists. Clinton urged Congress to pass campaign finance reform legislation as well.

Wednesday's 421-0 House vote - following a 98-0 vote by the Senate in July - belied the difficulty of bringing the bill through the legislative thicket. At least 10 times since the first, loophole-riddled lobbying regulations were passed in 1946, efforts to update the law had ended in failure.

The most recent dead end was last year, when a similar bill fell victim to an end-of-the-session attack by Rep. Newt Gingrich, R-Ga.

The current registration law has been ignored more often than not. Some 6,500 lobbyists are registered, but by some estimates that amounts to just one-tenth of those whose jobs are aimed at influencing the government. Those who do register disclose little meaningful information.

The new law would close many loopholes by broadening the definition of lobbying to include not only direct contacts with policy-makers and their aides, but also preparation and research intended to be used to influence policy. Registration will be required of anyone who spends at least 20 percent of work time engaged in paid lobbying.

Supporters acknowledged the bill was not perfect. Exempted from disclosure is so-called ``grass-roots'' lobbying - activities including advertising, toll-free phone lines and computerized direct mail aimed at generating phone calls and letters from the public to Washington.

by CNB