WASHINGTON -- Under fire from Democrats for his prominent role in an effort to place more Republicans at top lobbying firms, Sen. Rick Santorum said yesterday that he is joining forces with Sen. John McCain to craft legislation requiring more disclosure and transparency into the activities of Washington lobbyists.

Dennis Cook, Associated Press Sens. John McCain, left, and Rick Santorum. The alliance is a fortuitous one for Mr. Santorum as he faces a difficult re-election. Click photo for larger image.

A joint appearance by Mr. Santorum and Mr. McCain yesterday came in the midst of a rollout of lobbying proposals by Republican leaders, including House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who are worried about fallout over former top lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Abramoff pleaded guilty this month to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials and now is expected to give prosecutors details about improper activities by lawmakers who accepted his lavish gifts and contributions.

Mr. Santorum, R-Pa., who has received more money from lobbyists this election cycle than any other member of Congress, said the proposal Mr. McCain, R-Ariz., introduced in mid-December would be a foundation for a more restrictive bill curbing the influence of lobbyists.

Mr. McCain's initial legislation would have required lobbyists to report more details about the lucrative fund-raisers they hold for lawmakers as well as gifts they give to lawmakers valued at more than $20. Like several Democratic lobbying restriction bills, the legislation would lengthen the no-lobbying period for former Capitol Hill staffers from one to two years.

But Mr. Santorum said that in recent meetings, he and Mr. McCain have agreed to go further with a joint proposal. Though they are still working out details with other sponsors, including Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, Mr. Santorum said the final package should include a flat ban on lawmaker travel paid for by third parties -- a hot topic ever since it was revealed that Abramoff was arranging expensive international golfing trips for lawmakers by funneling money through non-profit organizations.

Mr. Santorum said the McCain-Lieberman-Santorum proposal should eliminate visiting privileges for former lawmakers-turned-lobbyists into the House and Senate chambers, as well as their access to the members-only gym on Capitol Hill -- an idea put forward by Democrats last year. Mr. Santorum said he also favored new restrictions on lobbying by spouses of current members of Congress.

Mr. Hastert, R-Ill., and House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier laid out broad outlines of their House companion proposal yesterday. Mr. Hastert advocated for the outright ban on private travel, which he said "has been abused by some," as well as more restrictive rules for gifts given by lobbyists.

"I believe that to regain the trust of the American people that this institution must go further than prosecuting the bad actors," said Mr. Hastert. "A member of Congress should be able to accept a baseball cap or a T-shirt from the proud students of a local middle school. But he or she doesn't need to be taken to lunch or dinner by a Washington lobbyist."

Mr. Dreier, R-Calif., said the House's first action when it returns will be to eliminate floor and gym privileges for former members.

The uproar over the Abramoff scandal has forced Republicans to reconsider ideas put forward by Democrats that they ignored last year.

For example, Mr. Hastert, Mr. Dreier, Mr. Santorum and Mr. McCain embraced new disclosure requirements for lobbyists yesterday that were put forward by House Democrats in May and July of 2005 that would require quarterly instead of semi-annual filing by lobbyists. The proposals would require detail about which members of Congress they lobbied. Currently lobbyists must only disclose that they have lobbied "the House" or "the Senate" without naming specific members.

The Democrats' proposals had also included upping the amount of time former staffers have to wait before lobbying from one year to two years.

Mr. Santorum's top Democratic opponent in his re-election bid, state Treasurer Robert P. Casey Jr., has called for almost real-time disclosure where lobbyists must post information about any meetings with lawmakers online on the day they happen. But Mr. Santorum said yesterday that some of those more restrictive proposals could be unenforceable.

"This has to pass the reasonableness test," he said.

The alliance between Mr. Santorum and Mr. McCain is a fortuitous one for the Pennsylvania senator as he faces a difficult re-election.

Mr. Santorum has come under scrutiny -- particularly from Mr. Casey -- for his involvement in an effort, known as the K Street Project, an effort by Republicans to increase the party's influence among lobbyists. As part of that project, Mr. Santorum held weekly meetings with top lobbyists to discuss qualified Republican candidates for openings at top lobbying firms, as well as legislation.

Mr. McCain has led the congressional investigations into the illegal activities of Mr. Abramoff.

Mr. Santorum defended his involvement in the K Street project yesterday as an effort to get the Republican message out. He also said he has a record as leader going after abuses of power in Congress.

"I think I laid out a track record of reform that maybe with the exception of John McCain on the Republican side is unmatched by any other senator," Mr. Santorum said. "I think I have done more to reform the House and Senate than just about anybody in this place and I was the logical person to go to" on lobbying restrictions, he said.

Mr. Santorum noted that he was a member of the gang of seven House members who worked to expose a House banking scandal in the early 1990s. In the Senate, he said, he has spearheaded efforts to require term limits for committee chairmen and to make senators pay fair market value for their haircuts at the Capitol barbershop and in the Senate restaurant.

But Mr. Casey said yesterday that Mr. Santorum's participation in the K Street project, which Mr. Abramoff was also involved in, made him unfit to be the Senate's point man on lobbying legislation.