Bill Keating on Government Reform

	Bill Keating on Government Reform
Follow @ontheissuesorg

Forced MA Senate President to accept term limits

As a state Senator, Bill Keating took on Beacon Hill politics-as-usual and gained a reputation for standing up to even the most politically powerful. Keating forced Bulger to adopt key reforms like term limits on leadership positions. In Congress, Bill will stand up for tough but necessary reforms to change the way Washington is doing business. That includes banning corporate earmarks, closing loopholes that allow lobbyists to game the system, and making government more transparent. Source: 2010 House campaign website, billkeating.org, "Issues" , Nov 2, 2010

Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge.

Keating co-sponsored STOCK Act

Congressional Summary:Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act (STOCK Act): Amends the Securities Exchange Act and the Commodity Exchange Act to prohibit purchase or sale of either securities or commodities by a person in possession of material nonpublic information regarding pending or prospective legislative action.

Amends the Ethics in Government Act to require formal disclosure of certain securities and commodities futures transactions.
Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act to subject to its registration, reporting, and disclosure requirements all political intelligence activities, contacts, firms, and consultants.

Bill explanation (ProCon.org, "Insider Trading by Congress", Feb. 3, 2012):

On Mar. 17, 2011, Tim Walz (D-MN) introduced the STOCK Act where it gained nine co-sponsors by Nov. 4, 2011.
On Nov. 13, 2011, the TV show "60 Minutes" reported that several members of Congress allegedly used insider information for personal gain. The STOCK Act received 84 additional House co-sponsors in the five days following the report, and Scott Brown (R-MA) filed the STOCK Act in the Senate on Nov. 15, 2011. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) also filed a variation of the STOCK Act in the Senate on Nov. 17, 2011.
On Jan. 24, 2012, in his State of the Union Address, President Obama said "Send me a bill that bans insider trading by members of Congress, and I will sign it tomorrow."
Immediately after the speech, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) told reporters, "I think people should have enough sense not to do it [insider trading] without legislation, but I will support legislation."
On Feb. 2, 2012, a revised version of the STOCK Act passed in the Senate by a vote of 96-3 with Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Tom Coburn (R-OK), and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) dissenting.

Source: H1148/S1871 11-S1871 on Nov 15, 2011

Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures.

Keating co-sponsored DISCLOSE Act

Congressional Summary:

Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2012 or DISCLOSE Act:
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to add to the definition of "independent expenditure" an expenditure by a person that expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate, or takes a position on a candidates, qualifications, or fitness for office.
Expands the period during which certain communications are treated as electioneering communications.
Prescribes disclosure requirements for corporations, labor organizations, and certain other entities, including a political committee with an account established for the purpose of accepting donations or contributions that do not comply with the contribution limits or source prohibitions under FECA (but only with respect to such accounts).
Repeals the prohibition against political contributions by individuals age 17 or younger.

Wikipedia & OnTheIssue Summary:

On January 21, 2010, the Supreme Court, in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, ruled that prohibiting corporations and unions from making independent expenditures in political campaigns was unconstitutional. This ruling is frequently described as permitting corporations and unions to donate to political campaigns, but these claims are incorrect. The ruling did remove the previous ban on corporations and organizations using their funds for direct advocacy, including endorsing for or against specific candidates, actions that were previously prohibited.

The result of Citizens United was that "Super PACs" spent millions on TV ads in the 2012 election, advocating both issues and candidates. The DISCLOSE Act attempts to reduce the negative effect of Citizens United by requiring disclosure of independent expenditures made by advocacy groups.

Source: S3369/HR4010 12-HR4010 on Feb 9, 2012

Click here for definitions & background information on Government Reform. Click here for HouseMatch answers by Bill Keating. Click here for a summary of Bill Keating's positions on all issues. Click here for a summary of Bill Keating's positions on the AmericansElect.org quiz. Click here for MyOcracy quiz answers by Bill Keating. Click here for Huffington Post quiz answers by Bill Keating. Click here for contact information for Bill Keating. Click here for a Wikipedia profile of Bill Keating. Click here for a Ballotpedia profile of Bill Keating. Click here for other MA politicians. Click here for MA primary archives. Click here for MA secondary archives.
*2012 Governor, House and Senate candidates on Government Reform:*			*Bill Keating on other issues:*
*MA Gubernatorial:* Bill Weld Charlie Baker Dan Wolf Deval Patrick Don Berwick Karyn Polito Martha Coakley Marty Walsh Steve Grossman Tom Menino *MA Senatorial:* Brian Herr Bruce Skarin Ed Markey Elizabeth Warren Gabriel Gomez John Kerry Martha Coakley Mo Cowan *Left 113th Congress, 2013-2014:* AL-1: Jo Bonner(R,resigned) FL-13:Bill Young(R,deceased) FL-19:Trey Radel(R,arrested) IL-2: Jesse L. Jackson(D,convicted) LA-5: Rodney Alexander(R,resigned) MA-5: Ed Markey(D,elected) MO-8: Jo Ann Emerson(R,resigned) NC-12:Mel Watt(D,appointed) NJ-1: Rob Andrews(D,investigated) SC-1: Tim Scott(R,appointed) *Newly-elected special elections 2013-2014:* AL-1: Bradley Byrne(R) FL-13:David Jolly(R) FL-19:Curt Clawson(R) IL-2: Robin Kelly(D) LA-5: Vance McAllister(R) MA-5: Katherine Clark(D) MO-8: Jason Smith(R) NC-12: Pending Jul.15 NJ-1: Pending Nov.4 SC-1: Mark Sanford(R)	*Won primary 2014:* GA-11:Barry Loudermilk(R) MA-6 :Richard Tisei(R) TX-4: John Ratcliffe(R) VA-7: Dave Brat(R) AL-6 :Gary Palmer(R) AR-4 :Bruce Westerman(R) CA-11:Mark DeSaulnier(R) CA-33:Ted Lieu(D) CA-35:Norma Torres(D) CA-45:Mimi Walters(R) CO-4 :Ken Buck(R) GA-1 :Buddy Carter(R) GA-10:Jody Hice(R) IA-1 :Pat Murphy(D) MI-4 :John Moolenaar(R) MI-12:Debbie Dingell(D) MI-14:Brenda Lawrence(D) MN-6 :Tom Emmer(R) NC-6 :Mark Walker(R) NC-7 :David Rouzer(R) NJ-12:Bonnie Watson Coleman(R) NY-4 :Kathleen Rice(D) OK-5 :Steve Russell(R) PA-13:Brendan Boyle(D) TX-36:Brian Babin(R) UT-4 :Mia Love(R) VA-8 :Don Beyer(D) *Retiring to run for Senate in 2014:* AR-4: Tom Cotton(R) CO-4: Cory Gardner(R) GA-1: Jack Kingston(R) GA-10:Paul Broun(R) GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R) HI-1: Colleen Hanabusa(D) IA-1: Bruce Braley(D) LA-6: Bill Cassidy(R) MI-14:Gary Peters(D) MT-0: Steve Daines(R) OK-5: James Lankford(R) TX-36:Steve Stockman(R) WV-2: Shelley Moore Capito(R) *Former Reps running for House in 2014:* CA-3: Doug Ose(R) CA-31:Joe Baca(D) HI-1: Charles Djou(R) IL-10:Bob Dold(R) IL-17:Bobby Schilling(R) KS-4: Todd Tiahrt(R) MI-4: Peter Konetchy(R) MI-14:Hansen Clarke(D) MS-4: Gene Taylor(D) MT-0: Denny Rehberg(R) NH-1: Frank Guinta(R) NY-11:Vito Fossella(R) NY-18:Nan Hayworth(R) OH-7: John Boccieri(D) PA-13:Marjorie Margolies(D) TX-23:Francisco Canseco(R)	*Lost primary 2014:* GA-11:Bob Barr(R) MA-6: John Tierney(D) TX-4: Ralph Hall(R) VA-7: Eric Cantor(R) MI-11:Kerry Bentivolio(R) *Retiring to run for State Office in 2014:* AR-2: Tim Griffin(R) CA-35:Gloria McLeod(D) ME-2: Mike Michaud(D) PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D) VI-0: Donna Christensen(D) *Retiring effective Jan. 2015:* AL-6: Spencer Bachus(R) AZ-7: Ed Pastor(D) CA-11:George Miller(D) CA-25:Howard McKeon(R) CA-31:Gary Miller(R) CA-33:Henry Waxman(D) CA-45:John Campbell(R) IA-3: Tom Latham(R) MI-4: Dave Camp(R) MI-6: Tom Petri(R) MI-12:John Dingell(D) MN-6: Michele Bachmann(R) NC-6: Howard Coble(R) NC-7: Mike McIntyre(D) NJ-3: Jon Runyan(R) NJ-12:Rush Holt(D) NY-4: Carolyn McCarthy(D) NY-21:Bill Owens(D) PA-6: Jim Gerlach(R) UT-4: Jim Matheson(D) VA-8: James Moran(D) VA-10:Frank Wolf(R) WA-4: Doc Hastings(R)	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty Main Page Wikipedia Profile Ballotpedia Profile MA politicians MA Archives Contact info: House Contact Mailing Address: Office 315 CHOB, Wash., DC 20515 Phone number: 202-225-3111

Page last updated: Oct 30, 2014