House Limits Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
After an angry late-night debate, the House voted Thursday to rein in the political work of organizations which receive federal grants.
By a vote of 187-232, the House turned back an attempt to kill the provision sponsored by Rep. Ernest Istook, R-Okla., which, consistent with current law, would forbid companies, nonprofit groups or others receiving federal grants from using any of the funds to lobby or otherwise participate in the political process.
“If this language is about anything, it’s about cleaning up the way this House works and the way Washington works … (with) special interests using taxpayer dollars to lobby for even more taxpayer dollars,” said Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas.
But the measure - part of an appropriations bill - also would dictate how groups spend their non-federal funds, altogether denying grants to any organization that has spent more than 5 percent of its own funds over the last five years on political activities.
Federal grantees would be further barred from using grant money to buy goods or services from any other group which spends more than 15 percent of its own funds on political advocacy. Broadly defined, that would include everything from attempting to influence legislation - through campaign contributions or advertisements, for example - to filing friend-of-the-court briefs in litigation.
Democrats called the measure a “gag order,” and the debate turned into such an unruly shouting match that the speaker’s overworked gavel was broken in two.
Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., said Republicans were cracking down on groups such as the Red Cross while inviting “fat cats” into party counsels to help draft legislation.
“It’s a glorious day if you’re a fascist,” he said. “If you’re a fascist it’s a glorious day.”
When Miller grew angrier, and spoke long after his allotted time had expired, Rep. Robert Walker, R-Pa., who was presiding, tried to gavel him to order.
“The gentleman is out of order,” Walker said.
“So is this law out of order,” Miller said heatedly.
Universities and hospitals receiving federal research grants and nonprofit organizations - such as Planned Parenthood and the YMCA, which receive family-planning and child care grants, respectively - would be covered by the new restraints. Federal contractors, state and local governments, and students receiving Pell grants or other educational assistance would not be covered.
But on a 161-263 vote, the House rejected a Republican amendment that would deny federal funds to colleges and universities which use mandatory student fees to support advocacy groups on campus.
President Clinton has threatened to veto the overall legislation.