13 WTHR - Indianapolis News |Rep. Hill pushes for further reform

Rep. Hill pushes for further reform

Tom Walker/Eyewitness News

Washington, DC - "The cleanest Congress in history." That's what Democrats promised after last year's elections. But are they delivering?

Baron Hill (D-IN09) says he heard about it a lot on the campaign trail.

"I heard over and over again about all the scandals that were going on," said Hill, who was elected to represent Indiana's ninth district last November. "They thought that the integrity of Congress was being compromised."

After the scandal that sent lobbyist Jack Abramoff and others to jail, Democrats made it their top priority to enact new rules against gifts and travel paid for by lobbyists. Privately-paid travel is way down.

One trip this winter reported by Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) to Puerto Rico and another by Congressman Mark Souder (R-IN03) to Germany and Norway were both within the rules. They are the only trips listed by Hoosier lawmakers so far this year.

But new members of Congress want more. On the House side, they're pushing for an independent panel to investigate violations. Hill proposes tapping former House members for the job.

"With present members investigating, they're reluctant to do it because they're friends, so you need an outside entity, and I think this is the best approach," said Hill.

A task force set up by the House Speaker has been looking into the idea, but it would be a dramatic change, and it's a tough sell.

"I'm getting pushback somewhat. The old bulls don't want to change the Congress, they want to keep things the way they are. That's not good enough," he said.

After a flurry of action when the Democrats took office, critics point out they have yet to pass lasting reforms into law. Some new lawmakers are now afraid they will be blamed if the change they promised voters, doesn't happen.

A House task force is expected to make recommendations later this month on an independent ethics board.