REPUBLICANS CALL FOR ETHICS REFORM, TARGET LOBBYISTS.

Byline: Lisa Friedman Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Eager to shake off the shadow of corruption cast by recent lobbying and bribery scandals, Republicans unveiled sweeping ethics changes Tuesday that would limit politicians' perks and could fundamentally change the tactics special-interest groups use on Capitol Hill.

The proposal, spearheaded by Rep. David Dreier, R-Glendora, would ban lawmakers from accepting all corporate-sponsored trips, prohibit all but inconsequential gifts such as baseball caps and T-shirts, and force lawmakers convicted of felonies to forfeit their congressional pensions.

Dreier said GOP leaders also plan to make former House members wait two years before registering as lobbyists, instead of the current one year, and plan to pass separate legislation the day Congress returns to work Feb. 1 blocking former lawmakers who now work as lobbyists from the House floor and the congressional gymnasium.

``I believe that this is a very, very, very exciting opportunity for us,'' Dreier said.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert noted that ethics concerns raised by the guilty pleas of lobbyist Jack Abramoff and former Rep. Duke Cunningham involved violations of existing rules.

But, he said, ``I believe that to regain the trust of the American people that this institution must go further than prosecuting the bad actors.''

He and Dreier said they hope to enact a comprehensive package by early March.

Hastert said House Republicans will also consider limiting or abolishing ``earmarks,'' the pork-barrel spending that is often quietly sipped into laws at the last minute, and vowed to take on tax-exempt political interest groups called 527s that can accept unlimited contributions.

``The real key to this issue is, of course, enhanced disclosure, transparency and accountability,'' Dreier said. ``We are going to place much more of the onus on the lobbying community.''

Democrats, who will present their own ethics reform package today, accused Republicans of sidestepping their own responsibility by shifting the blame onto lobbyists.

``The very Republican members of Congress who put America up for sale to the highest bidder have neither the ability, nor the credibility, to lead us in a new direction,'' said Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., the leading Democrat on the House Rules Committee, which Dreier chairs.

Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks, said many of the Republican reforms make sense, but noted that Hastert would have to approve every taxpayer-funded trip under the proposed reforms. He said Democrats need some assurance that the power will not be wielded with partisanship, and suggested members be allowed to use a small portion of their budget for travel.

``We have to make sure we don't invest more power in Hastert and call that ethics,'' Sherman said.

Lisa Friedman, [phone]

lisa.friedman(at)langnews.com

AT A GLANCE

Here are key elements of the Republican ethics reform proposal:

--Prohibits all privately funded travel.

--Prohibits gifts worth more than $20 to lawmakers.

--Prohibits former lawmakers who are registered lobbyists from entering the House floor or congressional gymnasium.

--Increases the waiting period for former lawmakers and senior aides who want to register as lobbyists from one year to two.

--Forfeits congressional pension for any lawmaker convicted of a felony related to his or her official duties.

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AT A GLANCE (see text)