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| Date: From: Subject: | 5/22/2007 5:14:31 PM Home School Legal Defense Association HSLDA: Final Vote on Federal Lobbying Reform Bill on Thursday |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== May 22, 2007 HSLDA: Final Vote on Federal Lobbying Reform Bill on Thursday Dear HSLDA Members and Friends, Thank you for your calls last week before the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday, May 17. The attempts to regulate grassroots lobbying were temporarily defeated when H.R. 2093, "A Bill to amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995," was defeated in committee by a bipartisan voice vote. The lobbying reform bill, H.R. 2316, "The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007" passed the House Judiciary Committee with no dangerous amendments. Despite this first victory, however, there may be more attempts to regulate grassroots lobbying on Thursday, May 24, when the House of Representatives votes on the lobbying reform bill. HSLDA is neutral on the lobbying reform bill, H.R. 2316. However, we oppose two other bills that would regulate grassroots lobbying: H.R. 2093, "A Bill to amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995," http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=4137 and H.R. 984, "The Executive Branch Reform Act of 2007," http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=4138 . It is possible the sponsors of these bills may bring them up as "11th hour" amendments to the lobbying reform bill on the House floor. ACTION REQUESTED If you have already called your U.S. Representative, thank you for fighting to protect grassroots lobbying. If you have not already called your U.S. Representative, please call today and urge him or her to vote against any amendments to the lobbying reform bill, H.R. 2316, "The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007," which would regulate grassroots lobbying. Your message can be as simple as, "As Congress takes up lobbying reform, please make sure that the First Amendment right of citizens to call their elected officials is protected. Please vote against any amendments to H.R. 2316 that restricts grassroots lobbying." It is not necessary to identify yourself as a homeschooler. You can reach your U.S. Representative by calling the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121, or by using our legislative toolbox at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3602 . Your federal U.S. Representative is listed in the left hand column under President Bush. BACKGROUND The House Judiciary Committee voted to send the H.R. 2316, "The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007" to the House on Thursday, May 17. This bill is a bipartisan bill and contains much-needed congressional reforms. However, some Representatives may offer as amendments two additional bills which are very problematic: H.R. 984, "The Executive Branch Reform Act of 2007," and H.R. 2093, "A Bill to amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995." It is likely that H.R. 2316 will be voted on by the full House of Representatives on Thursday, May 24. Although HSLDA is neutral on H.R. 2316, the lobbying reform bill, we oppose both of the bills that could be offered as amendments, H.R. 984 and H.R. 2093, as they will increase regulation on entities which urge citizens to call their elected officials. H.R. 2093 will regulate attempts to encourage citizens to contact their elected representatives, otherwise known as "grassroots lobbying." This is done by broadening the definition of a "lobbying firm" to include entities that spend, receive or agree to spend or receive $100,000 per quarter on grassroots lobbying activities. H.R. 984 will require over 9,000 employees in the Executive Branch to report any "significant contact" between the employee and a citizen about any official government action. Although these bills may not affect most homeschool support groups, organizations, or churches at the outset, they strike at the heart of free speech and the rights of citizens to stay informed about their government and call their elected officials. If these bills are included in the Lobbying Reform Bill, more restrictions will follow on anyone who urges citizens to call Congress, including restrictions that would severely burden homeschool support groups, organizations, and churches. Please read more about this and the victory for grassroots lobbying in the Senate at http://nche.hslda.org/docs/nche/Issues/G/GrassrootsLobbying_Federal.as p Thank you for standing for liberty. Sincerely, J. Michael Smith President, HSLDA ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Will your children's inheritance retain its value? If you pass on a legacy of freedom, your children and their children's children will thank you. But freedom is never secure; it must always be guarded. Membership with HSLDA is an investment in the future that can be passed on to future generations of families wanting to teach their children at home. More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1944 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
