Martin Hoke: “Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3435, the Lobbying Disclosure Technical Amendments Act of 1996 addresses several technical issues…”

“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3435, the Lobbying Disclosure Technical Amendments Act of 1996 addresses several technical issues which have been raised during the initial months of implementation of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995. The amendments made by the bill will strengthen what is already widely viewed as a significant and successful law. The Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 was the first substantive reform in the laws governing lobbying disclosure since the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946. This reform was necessary due to the Supreme Court's narrow construction of the 1946 Regulation of Lobbying Act in United States versus Harriss which effectively eviscerated that act. Last fall, this House passed this landmark legislation in identical form to the Senate-passed language. This action enabled the 104th Congress to send the bill directly to the President, thus passing the first meaningful lobbying disclosure legislation in over 40 years.”