The House and Senate are both stalled on lobbying and ethics reform, according to the Associated Press, after leaders in both houses promised bold reform after ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty in January. The Senate bill was derailed last week after it became caught up in the Dubai ports controversy, while the House has yet to come together around a specific set of reforms. Some fear that the issue could be lost in a crowded calendar this spring. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), Democratic point man on ethics reform, stated that, “I’m not going to let it slide off the table. … I’m a little bit concerned on the House side. There seems to be a lot of backpedaling.” Members now hope to have a bill passed by the Easter recess, further delaying the possibility of swift action in the wake of mounting ethics worries on Capitol Hill.