by TChris

This is what the House of Representatives, by a mostly party-line vote of 217-213, thinks it can sell the public as "lobbying reform":

The new bill would require lobbyists to disclose more of their activities, increase financial penalties for violations and require lawmakers and their aides to attend ethics training. It also aims to discourage earmarks by requiring House members who write spending bills to disclose them, a move lauded by fiscal conservatives who complain that earmarks waste taxpayer money and drive up the cost of legislation.

That's it. The bill doesn't ban members from accepting private trips on corporate jets. It doesn't stop members and their staffs from becoming lobbyists a year after leaving Congress. It allows members to accepts gifts and meals worth $50. As reform goes, the House bill is weak tea.