Take Action

Crack Down on Contract-Related Corruption and Cronyism

Tell Congress to keep two key contract reform provisions currently in the $613 billion FY 2009 Defense Authorization bill (H.R. 5658):
a) Rep. Henry Waxman’s (D-CA) Clean Contracting Act, which, among other things, would create a database of contractor violations of federal laws and regulations; and
b) The Government Funding Transparency Act of 2008, which requires contractors receiving more than 80 percent of their revenue from contracts to disclosure the names and salaries of top executives.

Although both are included in H.R. 5658, they originally passed the House as stand-alone bills, and could be stripped out in conference committee if negotiators don’t hang tough.

Meanwhile, the Senate has not yet passed its authorization bill. Republicans are insisting that a vote be taken on offshore drilling before any other bills are brought up to a vote.

Tell your Senator to clean up the “culture of corruption and crony contracting,” starting with their support for these two key contract-related reforms.

Ask Congress: Yes or No, Do You Support Publicly Funded Elections

The Abramoff Scandals have exposed a system of corruption and unprecedented corporate influence-peddling that that will not be easily fixed. Yet while Washington insiders dicker over specific rules regarding travel, gifts, and restrictions on post-government lobbying (revolving door), reporting and tougher ethics rules enforcement standards, most of these proposals can be undermined in one way or another. That’s why we must insist that Congress adopt the most effective approach: publicly funded elections.

Public financing of campaigns is the clearest way to break the stranglehold that corporations have over elected officials. It is already being enacted by state and local governments. For example, Connecticut recently adopted this approach for state representatives in reaction to a major scandal there. And cities like Portland, OR have also jumped on the “clean money elections” bandwagon (also known as “voter-owned elections”).

Tell Your Representatives to Support the “Clean Money, Clean Elections Act” (HR 3099).

To get your Senator’s contact information click Here .
To contact your Congress member, click Here .

To Call Congress:
US Capitol Switchboard – (202) 224-3121