Russ Feingold: “I have offered the amendment on behalf of Senator McCain of Arizona, which is an outgrowth of a bipartisan effort that…”

“I have offered the amendment on behalf of Senator McCain of Arizona, which is an outgrowth of a bipartisan effort that relates to the issue of post-employment restrictions on elected officials and what is more commonly known as the practice of the revolving-door lobby. This amendment follows in a long line of congressional reforms that have been proposed on a bipartisan basis by myself and the Senator from Arizona and others. Several of us who have been trying to address the issue of special interest influence have proposed and pursued several avenues of reform. Whether it is requiring greater disclosure from the lobbying community or passing new gift restrictions that clamps down on free vacation trips and fancy dinners, or finally addressing the woefully inadequate system of campaign finance we are currently saddled with, it is clear that reforming the Congress has become one of the preeminent issues among an electorate that has grown to not only view this institution with cynicism and disdain, but has also developed, unfortunately, a fundamental distrust of their elected representatives. Mr. President, restoring the faith of the American people in their Government is without a doubt one of the most important tasks that faces us today.”