Let's Get Real Reform No matter what issue you care about – universal health care, fair trade, energy independence, global warming – it will be difficult to make significant progress unless we break the stranglehold that corporate America has on Congress. We are on the verge of putting the brakes on the influence corporate lobbyists have in Congress. With your help, we have pressured both the House of Representatives and the Senate to pass ethics and lobbying reform bills. However, one key provision is in jeopardy because it is in the Senate bill but not the House bill: Revolving Door - We need to restrict the ability of lawmakers from cashing in on their public service by taking lucrative jobs in the private sector and influencing their former colleagues. On a separate track, Congress still needs an Office of Public Integrity established to monitor compliance with lobbying and ethics rules and investigate violations. Because Congress does not do a good job of enforcing its own ethics rules, an independent ethics agency is needed. It is essential that Congress take efforts to slow the revolving door and improve rules enforcement. Please take a minute to call (House directory/ (202) 225-3121) or personalize the email below.

February 09, 2010 Subject: I am writing to urge you to strengthen “revolving door” restrictions for government employees becoming lobbyists and to establish an independent Office of Public Integrity. The current one-year probation period for former public officials is inadequate. Please work to ensure that the final bill includes the provisions in the Senate lobbying reform bill (S. 1), which restricts all lobbying activity — not just lobbying "contact" — within a two-year cooling-off period for members and senior executive branch officials. Former senior Congressional staff members must be prohibited from making lobbying “contacts” with Congress as a whole for one year. Congress cannot be responsible for enforcing its own ethics rules. With the ethics scandals of the last Congress still fresh in my memory, the need for an independent Office of Public Integrity is self-evident. The agency would monitor compliance with lobbying and ethics rules for Congressmen, their senior staff, and registered lobbyists and investigate potential violations. Please slow the revolving door and establish an independent Office of Public Integrity. Thank you for listening to a constituent. I look forward to your reply. We will add your signature from the information you provide.		First Name* Last Name* Email* Street* Street 2 Street 3 City* State/Province* Select a state Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware D.C. Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Armed Forces (the) Americas Armed Forces Europe Armed Forces Pacific Alberta British Columbia Manitoba Newfoundland New Brunswick Nova Scotia Northwest Territories Nunavut Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan Yukon Territory Other Zip/Postal Code*