Phil English's Voting Record on Ethics
new! Opposed an Effort to Force Ethics Committee to Begin Investigation into Abramoff Scandal
In 2006, English voted in favor of a motion to kill a move by the House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi that would force the House Ethics committee to immediately begin an investigation into members of the House embroiled in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.
This followed a March 31 guilty plea by Tony Rudy, a former Tom DeLay staffer, to charges that he conspired with Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff to bribe public officials. House Minority Leader Press Release, 4/05/06
The motion to kill the effort passed 218-198. HRS762, Vote #87, 4/05/06
new! Opposed Ethics Committee Investigation of Abramoff Scandal
In 2006, English voted in favor of killing a resolution offered by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi that would force the House Ethics committee to immediately begin an investigation into members of the House embroiled in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.
The motion to kill the investigation passed 216-193. HRS 746, Vote #76, 3/30/06
new! Opposed Democratic Attempt at Real Ethics and Lobbying Reform
In 2006, English voted against a motion to recommit the lobby reform bill to committee with instructions to replace it with the text of the Democratic ethics reform plan. The Democratic plan, called the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, would have shut down the "K Street" project in which jobs in lobbying firms were traded for legislative favors and would have shined a light on earmarks so that special interest provisions could not be slipped into bills without public scrutiny.
It would have also extended the revolving door lobbying ban to two years, brought fair play and open procedures back to the House floor, and banned gifts and travel from lobbyists and organizations that employ or retain them. The motion to recommit would have also banned travel on private jets and end retirement benefits for members convicted of public crimes. Leadership Document, "Side-by-Side Comparison of Democratic and Republican Lobbying Reform Bill"
The motion failed 213-216. HR4975, Vote #118, 5/03/06
new! Supported Sham Ethics and Lobbying Reform Bill
In 2006, English voted in favor of an ethics and lobbying reform bill that would have done nothing to change the culture of corruption in Washington. Under the rules passed by the Republican majority, Democrats were not allowed to offer amendments to strengthen the legislation. The Republican leadership-backed bill required quarterly, rather than twice yearly, disclosure reports by lobbyists. It suspended privately funded travel, but only through the end of the year.
The bill required earmarks and their sponsors to be clearly listed in appropriations bills, but did nothing for true earmark reform. The bill denied pension benefits to members convicted of a crime related to their office, but still allowed meals, gifts (skybox seats at sporting events, say) and cut-rate flights on corporate jets. The bill did not lengthen the so-called "Revolving Door" provision, the one-year ban against departing members and staff accepting jobs related to their legislative work. Newspaper editorials across the country criticized the bill as being watered-down and ineffective.
The San-Antonio Express News called it a "disgraceful sham," while the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel called it a "miserable bill." San Antonio News Express, 5/02/06; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/01/06
The bill passed 217-213. HR4975, Vote #119, 5/03/06
new! Supported Banning Lawmaker-Turned-Lobbyists From The House Floor and Gym
In 2006, English voted for a resolution revoking the floor and gymnasium privileges of former members who became registered lobbyists. The vote came after Republicans forced their party leaders to back down on plans to immediately introduce a wider overhaul of lobbying regulations.
The bill was a weak component of the postponed overhaul, as the Republicans were divided over how to respond to a lobbying scandal that included the guilty plea of Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA), the loss of a committee chairmanship by Rep. Robert W. Ney (R-OH), and the cooperation with prosecutors by Jack Abramoff, a once-prominent GOP lobbyist, who pleaded guilty to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials. CQ Today, 2/01/06; Washington Post, 2/02/06
The bill passed 379-50. HRS648, Vote #3, 2/01/06
new! Supported Killing Comprehensive Ethics Reform
In 2006, English voted in favor of killing a Democratic attempt to bring to the floor a comprehensive lobbying reform bill that would have banned travel on corporate jets, prohibited lobbyist gifts, and slowed the revolving door between Capitol Hill and K Street.
Also, the bill would have shut down the "K Street" project in which jobs in lobbying firms were traded for legislative favors; shine light on earmarks so that special interest provisions could not be slipped into bills without public scrutiny; and put an end to some of the procedural abuses that had flourished in the Republican-controlled House.
The Democratic measure would have covered all special interest earmarks, including the Alaska Bridge to Nowhere and disclosed whether Members had a financial interest in the earmark. Leadership Document, "Democrats Fight To Clean Up Culture Of Corruption; Republicans Fail To Change Washington," 9/14/06
The motion to end the debate passed 218-194. HRS1000, Vote #448, 9/14/06
new! Supported Republican Effort to Weaken House Ethics Rules to Protect DeLay
In 2005, English voted in favor of an attempt by the Republican House majority to limit the ways that ethics investigations could be launched.
The Republican power grab would have required at least one Republican to agree before the Ethics Committee began an inquiry.
The committee's membership was evenly divided between parties; previously, a deadlock meant an inquiry would automatically begin. Former Ethics committee Chairman Joel Hefley (R-Colo.) broke with GOP leaders on the House floor, saying he thought the changes were a mistake since they were done without bipartisan discussion.
Republicans abandoned their plan to gut a rule that allowed the Ethics Committee to admonish a member, even if no specific law had been broken, and restored a rule requiring a party leader to step down if indicted. Washington Post, 1/05/05
The rules passed, 220-195. HRS 5, Vote #6, 1/04/05
new! Supported Weakening House Ethics Rules
In 2003, English voted in favor of new House rules that allowed lobbyists to cater meals to members' offices and let charities pay for lawmakers to travel and stay at golf resorts and other locales.
The measure allowed outside interests to pay for "perishable food or refreshments offered to members of an office."
For example, in 2002, a lobbying firm representing pharmaceutical interests sent a dinner for House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert's (R-IL) staff while they were working late on a prescription drug bill. Washington Post, 1/8/03
The weaker rules passed, 221-203. HRS 5, Vote #4, 1/07/03
new! Opposed Creating a Bipartisan Ethics Task Force
In 2005, English voted twice against creating a bipartisan ethics task force.
The panel would have had equal representation of Republicans and Democrats to make recommendations to restore public confidence in the House ethics process.
Republicans defeated the measure on a procedural vote, 218-195. HRS 213, Vote #106, 4/14/05
Earlier in the year, Republicans defeated an identical proposal on another procedural vote.
The measure was killed on a 223-194 vote. HRS 153, Vote #70, 3/15/05
new! Opposed Cracking Down on Revolving Door Lobbyists
In 2005, English voted against a measure to prohibit Members of the House from negotiating lucrative job deals that capitalized on their committee membership.
Politicians or federal employees frequently left office for the insider game of lobbying and advising private interests on how to do business with the federal government.
Special interests and the lobbyists they employ spent more than $13 billion lobbying Congress from 1998 to 2003. More than 250 ex-members of Congress now lobby Congress.
For example, former Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-LA) became PhRMA's top lobbyist after he helped draft a Medicare prescription drug bill as chairman of the Energy and Commerce panel. Gannett News Service, Op-Ed, 4/20/05; Baltimore Sun, 1/4/05
The measure was rejected, 196-219. HRS 5, Vote #5, 1/04/05
new! Supported Weak Earmark Reform
In 2006, English voted in favor of a change in House rules to reform the earmarking process. Earmarks, special projects anonymously inserted into bills, often only benefited one entity. The famed "Bridge to Nowhere" in Alaska was a well-known example of an earmark. The resolution passed by the House required all House committees to list the earmarks contained in the bills they reported or in the accompanying committee reports, along with the names of the members requesting those earmarks.
It also required a list of earmarks (and of the members requesting them) that were added in conference committees and not contained in the original House or Senate bills, and therefore not included in any previous earmark list. The rules change only applied to the House chamber and was only effective through the end of the 109th Congress. Democrats argued that the resolution would not actually eliminate a single earmark and would not reduce the total number of earmarks.
Democrats were also critical that the GOP had seemingly abandoned ethics reform. Congressional Quarterly described the earmark reform resolution as, "a narrow rule change that will affect only one chamber for a few months." CQ Today, 9/14/06
The bill passed 245-171. HRS1000, Vote #449, 9/14/06
new! Voted to Condemn Media Leaks of Classified Information
In 2006, English voted in favor of a resolution that called on the media to refrain from publishing classified materials, adding that leaks "inflict significant damage" on U.S. efforts to capture terrorists.
The resolution did not specifically mention the New York Times, but it was clear throughout the debate that a New York Times story detailing the tracking of terrorist finances was the subject of the resolution for the measure.
Democrats saw the resolution as a political stunt designed to placate a conservative base angry with certain newspapers, especially the New York Times. CQ Today, 6/29/06
The resolution passed 227-183. HRS895, Vote #357, 6/29/06
new! Opposed Denouncing Corruption That Led To Passage of 2003 Medicare Drug Bill
In 2005, English voted in favor of killing a resolution denouncing a "culture of corruption exhibited by the Republican leadership." The resolution, introduced by Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California, would have specifically condemned the GOP majority's practice of holding open closed votes until wavering Republicans could be won over, sometimes with favors or threats.
The resolution cited a vote on a Medicare prescription drug benefit in late 2003 that was held open for nearly three hours. One Republican, who eventually voted no, later said that during that time he was promised money for his son's election campaign if he would vote yes. Normally, House roll call votes run for seventeen minutes. Associated Press, 12/08/05
The resolution passed 219-188. HRS591, Vote #622, 12/08/05
new! Supported Measure to Prevent Citizens from Filing Ethics Complaints
In 1997, English voted in favor of a bill that changed the rules for filing ethics complaints against Members of Congress.
Specifically, this bill would have prohibited citizens who were not Members of Congress from filing ethics complaints against a Member.
"Outsiders" must find a Member of Congress willing to file a complaint, which made it much less likely that complaints would ever get filed.
The bill passed 258-154. HR 168, Vote #413, 9/18/97
new! Supported Dismissing Complaints after 180 Days
In 1997, English voted in favor of an amendment that required the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct to dismiss a complaint filed after 180 days if the committee was deadlocked and a motion to establish an investigative subcommittee did not prevail.
The amendment was defeated 181-236. HRS 168, Vote #410, 9/18/97
new! Supported Efforts to Protect Gingrich
During the first session of the 104th Congress, Republican Speaker Newt Gingrich was brought before the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.
English voted in favor of two Republican efforts to shield Gingrich from a special investigation by an outside counsel.
Both efforts passed. H.Res. 277, Vote #815, 11/16/95; H.Res. 288, Vote #833, 11/30/95
In 1996, Gingrich admitted that he lied to the Ethics Committee and was found to have violated House ethics rules by using tax-exempt organizations to promote the Republican Party. Various