September15,2011 TheHonorablePattyMurray TheHonorableJebHensarling TheHonorableMaxBaucus TheHonorableJohnKerry TheHonorableJonKyl TheHonorableRobPortman TheHonorablePatrickToomey TheHonorableXavierBecerra TheHonorableDaveCamp TheHonorableJamesClyburn TheHonorableFredUpton TheHonorableChrisVanHollen DearSenatorMurray,RepresentativeHensarlingandMembersoftheCommitteeon DeficitReduction:

n: Theundersignedarewritingtourgeyoutoimmediatelytakestepstovoluntarily disclosetheeffortsofoutsideintereststolobbyyouonmattersrelatedtothe CommitteeonDeficitReduction.Likewise,weurgeyoutoalsodisclosethe campaigncontributionsyoureceivebetweennowandthetimetheCommittee submitsitsfinalrecommendationstoCongress.Failuretoensuretransparencyof thesefundamentalavenuesofinfluencewillreinforcethepublicsmistrustofthe processandrisksdelegitimizingtheCommitteeswork. YourcriticalworkonthisCommitteehasbegun,andyetthepublicremainsinthe darkaboutspecialinterestsattemptstoinfluenceyourdecisionmakingprocess, whetherbymeetingwithyouordonatingtoyourcampaigns.Effortstomakethe workoftheCommitteetransparentbypostinginformationontheCommitteesnew websitearelaudable,asaredecisionstoforegoattendingfundraisersduringthis timeperiod.Unfortunately,neithershinesalightonwhomaybelobbyingor continuingtocontributetoyourcampaigns.Becauseneitherlobbyingdisclosure reportsnorcampaignfinancereportsarerequiredtobemadepublicuntilJanuary, thepublicwillnothaveaccesstothecriticalinformationcontainedinthosereports untillongaftertheDeficitCommitteehascompleteditswork. Disclosingmeetingsfromregisteredlobbyistsandotherspecialinterestsseeking assistancehasprecedent.TheObamaadministrationrequiredexecutivebranch officialstodisclosemeetingsontheimplementationoftheTroubledAssetRelief Program,theAmericanRecoveryandReinvestmentActandtheWallStreetReform andConsumerProtectionAct.DisclosureofeffortstolobbyMembersofCongress sittingontheDeficitCommitteeisatleastascritical.

Likewise,Congresshasrecognizedthatthepublichasarighttoknowwhohasgiven toacandidatescampaignpriortogoingtothepolls,andthusmandated48hour reportingofcampaigncontributionsforcontributionsgivenwithin20daysofan election.Suchreportingisstandardpracticeforallcampaigns.Similarly,thepublic iskeenlyinterestedinthecontributionsreceivedbymembersoftheDeficit ReductionCommitteeandshouldbeinformedofthosecontributionspriortothe Committeesfinalrecommendations. TheCommitteeonDeficitReductionhasunprecedentedpowertoshapefuture spendingintheUnitedStates,affectingallAmericans.MembersoftheCommittee should,therefore,takeunprecedentedstepstoensurethatoutsideeffortsto influencetothecommitteeshouldbetransparent. Sincerely, TheBrennanCenterforJusticeatNYUSchoolofLaw CenterforResponsivePolitics CitizensforResponsibilityandEthicsinWashington CommonCause FixCongressFirst TheLeagueofWomenVotersoftheUnitedStates MapLight OMBWatch OpentheGovernment.org ProjectOnGovernmentOversight PublicCitizen TheSunlightFoundation TaxpayersforCommonSense U.S.PublicInterestResearchGroup