Senate Proceeding on Aug 2nd, 2007 :: 0:54:44 to 1:02:47
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0:54:25 to 0:54:44( Edit History Discussion )

Dianne Feinstein: business, and that's exactly what this legislation will make much more likely. in the end, as i said at the beginning, it all comes down to the moral compass that each member of congress has and the

0:54:44 to 0:54:56( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: respect that we give to the office that is our privilege to serve in. but government in the shadows, with deals cut behind close ed doors, invites abuse, breeds dis distrust, and simply must end,

0:54:44 to 1:02:47( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Barack Obama

0:54:56 to 0:55:08( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: and this bill goes a long way toward doing exactly that. i thank the chair, and i yield the floor. mrs. feinstein: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from california. mrs. feinstein:

0:55:08 to 0:55:23( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: if i may, i'd like to thank the distinguished chairman of the homeland security and governmental affairs committee. the lobbying portion of this bill falls within senator lieberman's jurisdiction. i also

0:55:23 to 0:55:34( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: want to thank him for a job well-done. he has been steadfast in this pursuit for a number of years, so thank you very much,enator. and now i will exchange places with you, senator, and senator obama

0:55:34 to 0:55:45( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: will be recognize ed for ten minutes. the presiding officer: thank you. mr. obama: madam president? the presiding officer: senator obama, the senator from the senator from illinois illinois. mr.

0:55:45 to 0:55:59( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: obama: i come to the floor to speak to the open government act of 2007. let me compliment the president for the outstanding work she has done. it is wonderful work, and i think the american people

0:55:59 to 0:56:13( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: very much appreciate the improvements that are being made to our political process as a consequence. i also want to commend senator reid for his outstanding leadership on this bill. and i especially

0:56:13 to 0:56:27( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: want to thank my good friend, senator fining gold, who i have work -- senator feingold, who i have worked closely with on this issue over the past year and a half. the bill that is before us today

0:56:27 to 0:56:42( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: could not be more urgently need needed. for too long the american people have seen lobbyists treat the legislative process like a game, use ing targeted contributions to maximize their leverage.

0:56:42 to 0:56:56( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: for don't long people have felt their voice and their interests have been drowning in a sea of lobbyist money in washington. it's not the first time we face ed a crisis of confidence in government.

0:56:56 to 0:57:09( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: around the turn of the last century, wealth was becoming more concentrate ed in the hands of a few robber barons, oil tie consequence. it was made possible by a government that played along fl but when

0:57:09 to 0:57:18( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: president theodore roosevelt took office, he wouldn't play along. he devote ed his presidency to busting trusts, making up monopolies and doing his best to give the american people a shot at the american

0:57:18 to 0:57:28( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: dream once more. america needs this kind of leadership more than ever. we need leadership that sees government not as a tool to en enrich well-connected friends and high-priced lobbyists ists but

0:57:28 to 0:57:42( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: as the defender of fairness and opportunity for every american. we cannot settle, madam president, for a second gilded age in america. and yet we find ourselves once more in the midst of a new economy

0:57:42 to 0:57:51( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: where more wealth is in davening following follow danger of falling into fewer hands where c.e.o. pay rises everywhere, as the average workers's pay remains stagnant, as americans are struggle ing like

0:57:51 to 0:58:04( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: never before to pay their medical bills, kids' tuition or gas prices, all while the governments of the drug and insurance and oil industries have never been higher. and once again we're face ed with the politics

0:58:04 to 0:58:21( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: that makes all of this possible. in recent years the door to congress and the white house have been thrown wide open to an army of washington lobbyists who have turned our government into a game only they can

0:58:21 to 0:58:33( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: afford to play. year after year after yea they stand up in the way of our progress as a country. they stop us from addressing the issues that matter most to our people. let's take health care, just as

0:58:33 to 0:58:47( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: one example. the drug and insurance industries spent $1 billion in lobbying over the last decade. they got what they paid for when their friends in congress broke the rules and twisted arms to push

0:58:47 to 0:59:04( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: through a prescription drug bill that actually me it illegal for our own government to negotiate with the pharmaceutical companies for cheaper drug prices. and because reform has been blocked up

0:59:04 to 0:59:16( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: until now, there are parents and grandparents in this country who are walking into the drugstore and wondering how their social security check is going to cover a prescription that is more expense expensive

0:59:16 to 0:59:32( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: than it was a month ago. those who are being force ed to choose between their medicine and grocery because they can no longer afford both. let me be clear, madam president president, i do not begrudge

0:59:32 to 0:59:46( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: businesses for trying to make a profit. i do not begrudge them for hiring lobbyists to plead their case before congress. it is protected political speech speech, and we appreciate that there are many lobbyists

0:59:46 to 1:00:00( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: who represent their clients well and fairly. but it is time that we had a congress that tells drug companies or oil companies and the insurance industry that while they may get a seat at the table

1:00:00 to 1:00:12( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: in washington, they don't get to buy every single chair. we need to pet put an end to the pre-- we need to put an end to the prevailing culture in this town and that's what we've been trying to do for

1:00:12 to 1:00:26( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: the last couple of years. last year congress came up with a somewhat watered-down version of reform. last year i and senator feingold and senator mccain vote ed against it because we thought we could

1:00:26 to 1:01:06( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: do better. in january i came back with senator gin field feingold and we set a high bar for reform. the bill before us today comes very close to what we proposed. by passing this bill, we will been

1:01:28 to 1:01:32( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: gifts and meals and end subsidized travel on corporate jets. we will close the revolving door between pennsylvania avenue and "k" street. we will make sure shah that the american people will see

1:01:32 to 1:01:35( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: all the pet projects that lawmakers are trying to pass before they're actually voted on. we'll do something more. over the objections of powerful voices in both parties, we'll en ensure that our laws

1:01:35 to 1:01:39( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: shine a bright light on how lobbyists help fill the campaign covers of members -- coffers of members of congress. because in an era in which soft money is prohibited, the real measure of a lobbyists

1:01:39 to 1:01:42( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: interest is not how much money he has ibt contribute ed, it is how much money he is raises ing for mothers. for too long this practice has been hidden from public viewvment i am pleased that the amendment

1:01:42 to 1:01:52( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: i have offered on bundle ing is part of this bill and i want to thank representative chris van who willen who fought so hard to get it included in the house bill. as "the washington post" described

1:01:52 to 1:02:06( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: if this year, no single change would add more to public understanding of how money really operates in washington.|so there's a lot of good in this bill, and i truly hope and believe that it will change

1:02:06 to 1:02:22( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: the way we do business in washington washington. let's not forget, though, that there's still some more work that we need to do. one of the things i've argued is the necessity of an independent entity

1:02:22 to 1:02:33( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: to enforce ethics rules in congress because no matter how well we police our own conduct, so long as we're our own prosecute ors, judge, jury, the public will never have complete trust in our decisions.

1:02:33 to 1:02:47( Edit History Discussion )

Barack Obama: so far, that's a fight i've lost lost, but i'll continue to support independent enforcement because i believe it's in our nation's best interests. i also believe that if we're serious about change, we

1:02:47 to 1:03:01( Edit History Discussion )

Dianne Feinstein: need to have a real discussion about public finance ing for congressional elections because even if we can stop lobbyists from buying us lunch or taking us out on junkets, they'll still be able to attend our