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September15,2011

TheHonorablePattyMurray

TheHonorableJebHensarling

TheHonorableMaxBaucus

TheHonorableJohnKerryTheHonorableJonKyl

TheHonorableRobPortman

TheHonorablePatrickToomey

TheHonorableXavierBecerra

TheHonorableDaveCamp

TheHonorableJamesClyburn

TheHonorableFredUpton

TheHonorableChrisVanHollen

DearSenatorMurray,RepresentativeHensarlingandMembersoftheCommitteeon

DeficitReduction:

Theundersignedarewritingtourgeyoutoimmediatelytakestepstovoluntarilydisclosetheeffortsofoutsideintereststolobbyyouonmattersrelatedtothe

CommitteeonDeficitReduction.Likewise,weurgeyoutoalsodisclosethe

campaigncontributionsyoureceivebetweennowandthetimetheCommittee

submitsitsfinalrecommendationstoCongress.Failuretoensuretransparencyof

thesefundamentalavenuesofinfluencewillreinforcethepublicsmistrustofthe

processandrisksdelegitimizingtheCommitteeswork.YourcriticalworkonthisCommitteehasbegun,andyetthepublicremainsinthe

darkaboutspecialinterestsattemptstoinfluenceyourdecisionmakingprocess,whetherbymeetingwithyouordonatingtoyourcampaigns.Effortstomakethe

workoftheCommitteetransparentbypostinginformationontheCommitteesnew

websitearelaudable,asaredecisionstoforegoattendingfundraisersduringthistimeperiod.Unfortunately,neithershinesalightonwhomaybelobbyingor

continuingtocontributetoyourcampaigns.BecauseneitherlobbyingdisclosurereportsnorcampaignfinancereportsarerequiredtobemadepublicuntilJanuary,

thepublicwillnothaveaccesstothecriticalinformationcontainedinthosereports

untillongaftertheDeficitCommitteehascompleteditswork.

Disclosingmeetingsfromregisteredlobbyistsandotherspecialinterestsseeking

assistancehasprecedent.TheObamaadministrationrequiredexecutivebranch

officialstodisclosemeetingsontheimplementationoftheTroubledAssetRelief

Program,theAmericanRecoveryandReinvestmentActandtheWallStreetReform

andConsumerProtectionAct.DisclosureofeffortstolobbyMembersofCongress

sittingontheDeficitCommitteeisatleastascritical.

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Likewise,Congresshasrecognizedthatthepublichasarighttoknowwhohasgiven

toacandidatescampaignpriortogoingtothepolls,andthusmandated48hourreportingofcampaigncontributionsforcontributionsgivenwithin20daysofan

election.Suchreportingisstandardpracticeforallcampaigns.Similarly,thepubliciskeenlyinterestedinthecontributionsreceivedbymembersoftheDeficit

ReductionCommitteeandshouldbeinformedofthosecontributionspriortotheCommitteesfinalrecommendations.

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