As Congress inches toward major immigration legislation, a new Sunlight Foundation analysis (based on almost 8,000 lobbying reports) offers a comprehensive and interactive guide to the web of interests with something at stake.
As legislation continues to take shape, a wide range of sectors will continue flooding Congress with their lobbyists, trying to make sure that their particular concerns are fully addressed. The visualizations we present can help to better understand who these interests are, what they care about, and how intensely they are likely to lobby to get what they want.
Backed by Hatch, Klobuchar, medical device makers score victory
In the two weeks before the Senate passed a resolution to repeal a tax on medical devices that was part of President Obama's health care overhaul, medical device interests threw a pair of fundraisers benefiting the leadership PAC of Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, a longtime friend of the industry.
Continue readingContraceptives remain most controversial health care provision
Three years after Congress approved President Obama's Affordable Care Act (ACA), contraceptive care remains its most controversial provision, drawing not only more comments than any other regulatory proposal on any subject government-wide, according to an analysis of federal regulations on Sunlight's Docket Wrench.
More than 147,000 people and organizations have made their voices heard over the debate, most of them opposing the provision that requires that federal agencies have interpreted to mean that women have access to preventive services--including contraception--at no cost. The Catholic Church has led the charge, urging parishioners to write with messages such as ...
Continue readingPro-CISPA Lawmaker Deletes Retweet about Money Received from Pro-CISPA Groups
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI), a co-sponsor and major supporter of the controversial Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA), deleted a retweet of an analysis of contributions to lawmakers from pro-CISPA companies.
Continue readingPublish all agency reports online – Sen. Coburn intros amendment for vote-o-rama
Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) will introduce an amendment to create a publicly accessible online database containing all unclassified reports to Congress. It... View Article
Continue readingOpenGov Voices: Come to CityCamp Kansas City
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the guest blogger and those providing comments are theirs alone and do not reflect the opinions of the Sunlight
Foundation or any employee thereof. Sunlight Foundation is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information within the guest blog.
Jase Wilson is Co-founder & CEO at Neighbor.ly -- a civic crowd funding platform.
On April 20, CityCamp returns to Kansas City for its second year. Based on the popular series created by Code for America alumnus Kevin Curry and inspired by the Sunlight Foundation’s own TransparencyCamp, CityCampKC is a day long unconference at the nexus of community, government and technology in Kansas City.
Last year’s event focused on open source and open data, helping to drive communication and innovation within local government in the Kansas City region. Things will be a bit different than last year, but trust us, that’s a good thing! Instead of a predefined speaker list, sessions will be programmed by attendees and will emphasize the increasing diversity in government, government technology and civic engagement. Specifically, trying to balance gender, race and age cohorts involved in the conversations that shape the city. This year, discussion topics will be chosen the morning of the event and can be suggested by anyone!
Passionate about something in the KC community? Come share it and inspire others to get excited too!
Continue reading2Day in #OpenGov 3/22/2013
NEWS ROUNDUP:
- A review of regulatory filings from major Wall Street firms found that they are making it attractive for executives to take government jobs, often including special clauses that provide bonuses when senior staff take jobs in the public sector. (POGO)
- Another recently retired Rep. has found steady paycheck (or tw0) on the other side of the revolving door. Dale Kildee (D-MI) is slated to serve as a senior consultant at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld as well as a policy advisor to Akin Gump's strategic partner Ietan Consulting. (The Hill)
- Michelle Bachmann is working hard to secure some "pork" in her district, but being very careful to avoid calling her preferred project an earmark. Because, as everyone knows, earmarks are the devils work and the House doesn't do that sort of thing. (Politico)
- K Street is packing its bags and heading across the Atlantic to Brussels as America and the EU prepare to negotiate, what could become, a major trade deal. (The Hill)
- A new study from the Center for Responsive Politics found that almost half of the lobbyists who de-registered between 2011 and 2012 stayed with the same employer and continued their influence work, taking advantage of major loopholes in lobbying disclosure laws. (Roll Call)
- Sen. Michael Crapo (R-ID) is hosting a fundraising event for his Freedom Fund PAC this week at a townhouse owned by Diageo, one of the worlds largest alcohol companies. The event comes only a few months after Crapo was arrested for drunk driving late last year. (Roll Call)
- Marco Rubio (R-Running for President) spent nearly $100,000 on campaign consultants for his Reclaim America PAC in the past month. The PAC has also been spending on polling and research and ramping up its fundraising efforts. (Politico)
- Is there such a thing as too much transparency? That's the question asked by Camille Tuutti in this short column. (Federal Computer Week)
Obama’s Outside Group Still Lacking Disclosure
The Center for Public Integrity has an important story today on Organizing for Action’s money in politics problem: Organizing for... View Article
Continue readingBell, California: Moving From Secrecy to Sunshine
We can't keep our eyes off the City of Bell, California -- and for good reasons.
The city gained notoriety in 2010 when the Los Angeles Times began to expose high salaries for city officials who did next to nothing. It was a problem that had been brewing for years, as the LA Times charted in a timeline of the corruption.
Bell's government is different now.
Bell has most recently been in the news not just for reaching a culminating point in the scandal -- the trial of six former city council members on corruption charges -- but also for a high transparency grade as part of a government website review. Sunshine Review, a non-profit that examines state and local government transparency, gave the city an A- grade in the 2013 Sunny Awards. The grades are based on whether certain information like budgets, open meeting laws, and lobbying records are posted online, as outlined in this checklist.
This is one indicator of the many steps the city government has taken toward greater transparency. Bell's efforts are notable for several reasons.
Continue readingBill Would Make Agency Reports to Congress Accessible
Legislation that would require reports to Congress be made available online in one central location was recently reintroduced by Representatives... View Article
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