Transparency

The Gazette Editorial Board

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With much at stake, the bipartisan congressional deficit-reduction committee charged with finding at least $1.2 trillion more in budget savings by November should be operating in the open. It's not.

Dave Loebsack, Iowa's 2nd District congressman, wants to change that scenario. He rightly recognizes the intense lobbying the 12 lawmakers are getting from many organizations and industries.

So he's introduced legislation that would require committee members to disclose all campaign contributions greater than $500 and all meetings with lobbyists within 48 hours of the donation or meeting. Otherwise, the donations wouldn't have to be disclosed until Jan. 31. And meetings with lobbyists never have to be disclosed - as, sadly, is Congress's general practice.

Loebsack also wants all committee meetings to be televised and streamed live on a congressional website.

We're not confident that enough of Loebsack's colleagues will get behind his proposal, but they should - especially the requirements for lobbyist disclosures. Many Americans see Congress as overly influenced by special interests. Transparency is simply accountability to all of the people lawmakers are supposed to serve.

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