Bill Would Tighten Rules for Members of Congress Who Leave to Lobby

Representative Bill Posey (R-Fla.) is again taking aim at his colleagues who leave Capitol Hill to lobby.

Posey this week reintroduced two bills that would place more restrictions on former members of Congress and congressional staffers who become lobbyists. The congressman offered the measures in the last Congress, but they died in committee.

One bill would bar former members and congressional staffers from the federal employee retirement system and other benefits if they are lobbyists. The other measure would extend the "cooling-off" period before they can traverse the Hill as lobbyists.

Former members would have to refrain from lobbying for five years, while former staffers would have to wait two years. Currently, the cooling-off period is two years for former senators and one year for former congressional aides and House members. The Republican's legislation follows a measure that Representative Michael Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) introduced on January 3 to lengthen the former House member cooling-off period to two years.

"People shouldn't use their public service to create a lucrative lobbying career," said George Cecala, a Posey spokesman.

Posey has read disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff's memoir, Capitol Punishment: The Hard Truth About Washington Corruption From America's Most Notorious Lobbyist, which had a major impact on him, Cecala said.

"I think he was pretty disturbed by some of the things he read," Cecala said.