• Take Action!



• Watchdog Blog



• Clean Up Washington



• White House for Sale



• Open Government



• Consumer and Civil Justice



• Election Reform



• Key Reports



• Congressional Voting Records



• The Archives



• Link to Us

Lobbying Disclosure

 For information on the latest happenings in Washington, check out our Clean Up Washington campaign.

After decades of failed attempts to close the many loopholes of the 1946 Regulation of Lobbying Act, Congress finally stepped up to the plate at the end of 1995 and approved the fairly sweeping Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) of 1995. LDA represents a comprehensive reform when compared to the earlier regulatory efforts – only about 10 percent of lobbyists felt compelled to register under the earlier Act – though it certainly was seen as falling short of a complete success by its biggest sponsors.

The Lobbying Disclosure Act received unanimous approval in both the House and the Senate and was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on December 19, 1995. The new Act took effect on January 1, 1996. However, a fairly reliable disclosure database of lobbying activity did not become available until calendar year 1999. In the brief span between 1999 and 2004, the amount reported on lobbying expenditures at the federal level increased 44 percent.

Because Public Citizen does not accept funds from corporations, professional associations or government agencies, we can remain independent and follow the truth wherever it may lead. But that means we depend on the generosity of concerned citizens like you for the resources to fight on behalf of the public interest. If you would like to help us in our fight, click here.