Russ Feingold for United States Senate

Government Reform

RESTORING THE INTEGRITY OF THE POLITICAL PROCESS

"When I arrived in the Senate in 1993, I decided that my office would abide by the Wisconsin Code of Ethics for Public Officials and Employees and the same ethical rules that I had observed as a member of the Wisconsin State Senate. Since then, I have enforced a strict ban on receiving gifts from lobbyists for myself and my staff.

When first campaigning for the Senate in 1992, I promised Wisconsinites that I would not accept a pay raise during my term in office. I have kept that promise, and this past September I continued my vigilance against “backdoor” pay raises for Congress. With the nation still recovering from the terrorist attacks of September 11th, I urged my colleagues in Congress not to accept an automatic $4900 pay raise, and as I have promised to do, I returned my share to the U.S. Treasury. Because Members of Congress have the power to raise their own pay, and because they are paid with taxpayer money, the congressional pay raise process always deserves the highest level of scrutiny."

ACHIEVEMENTS

Ending Automatic Pay Raises for Congress: For the last two Congresses, Feingold has introduced legislation to end to the automatic cost-of-living adjustment for Members of Congress.

Introducing the Gift Ban: When Senator Feingold first arrived in the Senate, members and their staff could accept expensive gifts from lobbyists and special interest groups. He led the effort to pass the 1995 Gift Ban, bringing an end to the lavish gifts, meals, and free trips lobbyists and corporate America had doled out to members of Congress. In addition, Senator Feingold co-authored an amendment to prohibit members of Congress from using frequent flyer awards accrued from taxpayer financed official travel to pay the airfare for their personal vacations. The House, however, refused to adopt this rule.

Closing the ‘Revolving Door’: Senator Feingold has co-authored legislation that will close the revolving door that allows individuals to serve in government jobs and then turn around and step into high-paying lobbying firms where they can trade their public experience for top dollars in the private sector.

Cutting ‘Plum Positions’: Both parties view political appointments as plums to be awarded to their loyalists and, therefore, it is no coincidence that while 250,000 career jobs have been cut out of the federal workforce, the number of political positions has missed most of the budget cutting. Senator Feingold is fighting to change that by authoring legislation to cut the number of political appointees holding federal jobs.

Keeping Congress Accountable: Senator Feingold supported the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, which makes it possible for the public to know who is lobbying the Congress and how much they are spending.