Lobbying Reform Week

The lobbying reform package Democrats promised to roll out this week is off to a predictably shaky start.

Democratic aides on the House Judiciary Committee notified their Republican counterparts Monday morning that the committee would not mark up a lobbying reform package on Tuesday, the day Democratic leaders are expected to unveil an outline of that legislation to their rank-and-file.

But a Democratic aide on the committee was quick to point out that no markup had been scheduled – hence no markup has been canceled or rescheduled.

Aides to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) have been crafting the bill, while freshmen Democrats push for its introduction. The Judiciary panel can’t mark up anything, though, until someone introduces an actual bill. That would prove too tight a turnaround if members haven't even seen it yet.

Democratic leaders have struggled to cobble together a reform package their members will accept, so most Hill watchers will be looking for signs this week that members reject the plan.

None of the Republicans' attempts at a broader reform package was ever signed in to law after similar foot-dragging on the other side of the aisle.