An Evaluation of H. R. 1180 in Terms of the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

The administration and enforcement of the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946 has proved to be inadequate. Replacing this act by adopting H. R. 1180 should eliminate many of the present difficulties. Instead of the present annual expenditure requirement, the proposed bill specifies a minimum quarterly expenditure that requires organizations to register and report their lobbying activities. The bill also applies to lobbying activities directed toward executive officials as well as toward members of Congress. It would be advisable for the bill's coverage also to extend to indirect or grassroots lobbying activities and to lobbying activities requested by a third party. An additional advantage of the bill is its requirement that both the lobbyist and the retaining organization maintain records relating to the lobbying activities. It is recommended that the lobbyists also be required to furnish a breakdown of their income according to the various lobbied issues. The bill could be improved by stipulating that the Comptroller General has civil enforcement authority. Such a stipulation would place enforcement within the legislative branch and avoid conflict between the Comptroller General and the Attorney General.