The Senate passed an ethics and lobbying reform bill on Thursday as a bipartisan coalition steamrolled dwindling cries to block it by conservative Republicans who complained the bill "gutted" proposed earmark reforms.The bill, passed 83-14, now completes all congressional action and goes to President Bush for his signature.
The bill aims to disclose lobbyists fundraising activities, eliminate gifts and trips from lobbyists to lawmakers and congressional staff, ban lawmakers from flying corporate jets at cut-rate prices, and increase disclosure of individual pieces of line-item spending known as earmarks.
Enacted in the legislation are other limits including:
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