Congress votes to toughen ethics, lobbying rules

By Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Legislation to toughen ethics and lobbying rules for U.S. lawmakers received final approval on Thursday, nine months after Democrats won control of the U.S. Congress following scandals mostly involving President George W. Bush's Republicans.

Backed by public advocacy groups, the measure requires greater disclosure of pet projects slipped into spending bills, outlaws pensions to lawmakers convicted of bribery and requires disclosure of campaign donations lobbyists collect for members of Congress.

On a vote of 83-14, the Senate approved the bill, overwhelmingly passed earlier this week by the House of Representatives, and prepared to send it to Bush to sign into law.

"The American people sent Democrats to Congress to clean up the mess," said Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada. "We have heard the call."

The measure would also prohibit members from attending lobbyist-paid parties in their honor at national political conventions, and ban lobbyists from providing members gifts or travel.

It addition, it would prohibit senators from lobbying Congress for two years after leaving office. House members would have to wait one year.

A number of Senate Republicans, whose party controlled Congress much of the past 12 years, complained the bill did not go far enough. But most of them ended up voting for it.

"Americans were right to be outraged by the scandals that surfaced last year, they're right to hold their lawmakers to the highest standard of conduct, and passing this bill will send a strong and, I think, necessary signal that the Senate has recommitted itself to that trust," said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.