ReFormers Caucus

Issue One's ReFormers Caucus of more than 200 former members of Congress, governors, and Cabinet officials is the largest bipartisan coalition of its kind ever assembled to advocate for solutions to fix our broken political system.

Meet our ReFormers

Tim Roemer

Tim Roemer

Former Representative and Ambassador (D-IN); Co-chair, ReFormers Caucus

Zach Wamp

Zach Wamp

Former Representative (R-TN); Co-chair, ReFormers Caucus

Connie Morella

Connie Morella

Former Representative (R-MD); Co-chair, ReFormers Caucus

Dan Glickman

Dan Glickman

Former Representative and Secretary of Agriculture (D-KS); Board Member, Issue One

Tom Ridge

Tom Ridge

Former Representative, Governor and Secretary of Homeland Security (R-PA); Board Member, Issue One

See the full list of ReFormers

ReFormers by the Numbers

22

Governors

10

Ambassadors

9

Cabinet Secretaries

201

Total Members

Informed by their first-hand experience, the ReFormers endorse the following solutions:

  • Disclosure & Transparency. Real-time disclosure of all political contributions and expenditures.
  • Effective Enforcement. Hold candidates, legislators and organizations accountable if they break the law.
  • Ethics & Lobbying. Sever the connection between lobbying and campaign contributions and reduce conflicts of interest.
  • Participation. Support innovative experiments at the state and local level that improve civic participation and amplify the voices of small donors.
  • Integrity & Accountability. Push for a government responsive to citizens and constituents.

Read the entire framework for Returning Government to the American People. This growing, bipartisan group is committed to standing together to fix our dysfunctional democracy.

Read more about the ReFormers

The ReFormers have been featured in

Politico
usa-today-resize
newsweek-resize
wapo
mic-resize
cspan-resize
The Hill
us-new-resize
NPR
the intercept
roll call
ijreview2
See our launch ad in the Washington Post

ReFormers on the Map

The ReFormers represent all 50 states.

Explore the map to find ReFormers in your state.

ReFormers on the Record

  • “Ending the tyranny of big money corruption isn’t partisan — it’s patriotic. It’s essential to preserving the most deeply held values and beliefs we share.”

    Sen. Alan Simpson (R-WY), Sen. Bill Bradley (D-NJ) and Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-NE)

  • “Democracy requires constant vigilance. When the interests of major campaign donors and their allies are favored over the needs of ordinary citizens, we all pay the price.”

    Rep. Connie Morella (R-MD) and Rep. Dan Glickman (D-KS)

  • “The money-in-politics problem has gotten much worse…[and] we all pay a price for maintaining such a system.”

    Sen. Larry Pressler (R-SD)

  • “The problem is not ideological or partisan. It affects the left and the right, Democrats and Republicans equally, and is costing the taxpayer and driving away many talented public servants.”

    Ambassador Tim Roemer (D-IN)

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ReFormers Caucus Members

JASON ALTMIRE
Congressman (D-PA  2007-2013)
CHESTER ATKINS

Congressman (D-MA 1985-1993)

LES AUCOIN

Congressman (D-OR 1975-1993)

BRUCE BABBITT

Secretary of the Interior (1993-2001); Governor (D-AZ 1978-1987)

BRIAN BAIRD

Congressman (D-WA 1999-2011)

MICHAEL BARNES

Congressman (D-MD 1979-1987)

JAMES GRESHAM BARRETT

Congressman (R-SC 2003-2011)

CHARLES BASS

Congressman (R-NH 1995-2007, 2011-2013)

BOB BEAUPREZ

Congressman (R-CO 2003-2007)

BERKLEY BEDELL

Congressman (D-IA 1975-1987)

MARK BEGICH

Senator (D-AK 2009-2015)

DOUG BEREUTER

Congressman (R-NE 1979-2004)

BRIAN BILBRAY

Congressman (R-CA 1995-2001, 2006-2013)

JEFF BINGAMAN

Senator (D-NM 1983-2013)

JAMES BLANCHARD

United States Ambassador to Canada (1993-1996); Governor (D-MI 1983-1991); Congressman (D-MI 1975-1983)

SHERWOOD BOEHLERT

Congressman (R-NY 1983-2007)

DAVID BONIOR

Congressman (D-MI 1977-2003)

DON BONKER

Congressman (D-WA 1975-1989)

JO BONNER
Congressman (R-AL 2003-2013)
BILL BRADLEY

Senator (D-NJ 1979-1997)

BILL BROCK

Secretary of Labor (1985-1987); U.S. Trade Representative (1981-1985); Senator (R-TN 1971-1977); Congressman (R-TN 1963-1971)

JACK BUECHNER

Congressman (R-MO 1987-1991)

TOM CAMPBELL

Congressman (R-CA 1995-2001)

BEN NIGHTHORSE CAMPBELL

Senator (R-CO 1993-2005); Congressman (R-CO 1987-1993)

JOSEPH CAO

Congressman (R-LA 2009-2011)

JOHN CARLIN

Governor (D-KS 1979-1987)

ARNE CARLSON

Governor (R-MN 1991-1999)

RUSS CARNAHAN

Congressman (D-MO 2005-2013)

ROBERT CARR

Congressman (D-MI 1975-1981, 1993-1995)

ED CASE

Congressman (D-HI 2002-2007)

MICHAEL CASTLE

Governor (R-DE 1985-1992); Congressman (R-DE 1993-2011)

JOHN CAVANAUGH

Congressman (D-NE 1977-1981)

BEN CHANDLER

Congressman (D-KY 2004-2013)

ROD CHANDLER

Congressman (R-WA 1983-1993)

JON CHRISTENSEN

Congressman (R-NE 1995-1999)

BOB CLEMENT

Congressman (D-TN 1988-2003)

WILLIAM CLINGER

Congressman (R-PA 1979-1997)

WILLIAM COHEN

Secretary of Defense (1997-2001); Senator (R-ME 1979-1997); Congressman (R-ME 1973-1979)

KENT CONRAD

Senator (D- ND 1992-2013)

SAM COPPERSMITH

Congressman (D-AZ 1993-1995)

JERRY COSTELLO

Congressman (D-IL 1993-2013)

JOHN DANFORTH

United States Ambassador to the United Nations (2004-2005), Senator (R-MO 1976-1995)

GEORGE DARDEN

Congressman (D-GA 1983-1995)

TOM DASCHLE

Senator (D-SD 1987-2005); Senate Majority Leader (2001-2003)

HAL DAUB

Congressman (R-NE 1981-1989)

JIM DAVIS

Congressman (D-FL 1997-2007)

LINCOLN DAVIS

Congressman (D-TN 2003-2011)

TOM DAVIS

Congressman (R-VA 1995-2008)

CHARLIE DENT

Congressman (R-PA 2005-2018)

CHARLES DJOU

Congressman (R-HI 2010-2011)

BYRON DORGAN

Senator (D-ND 1992-2011), Congressman (D-ND 1981-1992)

TOM DOWNEY

Congressman (D-NY 1975-1993)

MICHAEL DUKAKIS

Governor (D-MA 1983-1991, 1975-1979)

DAVID DURENBERGER

Senator (R-MN 1978-1995)

DAVID EMERY

Congressman (R-ME 1975-1983)

KARAN ENGLISH

Congresswoman (D-AZ 1993-1995)

THOMAS EVANS, JR.

Congressman (R-DE 1977-1983)

VICTOR FAZIO

Congressman (D-CA 1979-1999)

STEPHEN FINCHER

Congressman (R-TN 2011-2017)

HAROLD FORD, JR.

Congressman (D-TN 1997-2007)

WYCHE FOWLER

United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (1996-2001); Senator (D-GA 1987-1993); Congressman (D-GA 1977-1987)

MARTIN FROST

Congressman (D-TX 1979-2005)

ELIZABETH FURSE

Congresswoman (D-OR 1993-1999)

RICHARD GEPHARDT

Congressman (D-MO 1977-2005)

JIM GERLACH

Congressman (R-PA 2003-2015)

WAYNE GILCHREST

Congressman (R-MD 1991-2009)

PHIL GINGREY

Congressman (R-GA 2003-2015)

DAN GLICKMAN

Secretary of Agriculture (1995-2001); Congressman (D-KS 1977-1995)

BART GORDON

Congressman (D-TN 1985-2011)

PORTER GOSS

Director of the CIA (2004-2006); Congressman (R-FL 1989-2004)

JIM GREENWOOD

Congressman (R-PA 1993-2005)

CHUCK HAGEL

Secretary of Defense (2013-2015); Senator (R-NE 1997-2009)

LEE HAMILTON

Congressman (D-IN 1965-1999); Member, 9/11 Commission (2002-2004)

RICHARD HANNA

Congressman (R-NY 2011-2017)

JANE HARMAN

Congresswoman (D-CA 1993-1999, 2001-2011)

MICHAEL HARRINGTON

Congressman (D-MA 1969-1979)

GARY HART

Senator (D-CO 1975-1987)

ROBIN HAYES

Congressman (R-NC 1999-2009)

JOSEPH HECK

Congressman (R-NV 2011-2017)

JOEL HEFLEY

Congressman (R-CO 1987-2007)

DENNIS HERTEL

Congressman (D-MI 1981-1993)

PAUL HODES

Congressman (D-NH 2007-2011)

RUSH HOLT, JR.

Congressman (D-NJ 1999-2015)

ELIZABETH HOLTZMAN

Congresswoman (D-NY 1973-1981)

DARLENE HOOLEY

Congresswomen (D-OR 1997-2009)

AMORY HOUGHTON

Congressman (R-NY 1987-2005)

JERRY HUCKABY

Congressman (D-LA 1977-1993)

BILL HUGHES

U.S. Ambassador to Panama (1995-1998); Congressman (D-NJ 1975-1995)

JIM HUNT

Governor (D-NC 1977-1985, 1993-2001)

TIM HUTCHINSON

Senator (R-AR 1997-2003); Congressman (R-AR 1993-1997)

EARL HUTTO

Congressman (D-FL 1979-1995)

ROBERT INGLIS, SR.

Congressman (R-SC 1993-1999, 2005-2011)

STEVE ISRAEL

Congressman (D-NY 2001-2017)

TIM V. JOHNSON

Congressman (R-IL 2001-2013)

J. BENNETT JOHNSTON

Senator (D-LA 1972-1997)

DAVID JOLLY

Congressman (R-FL 2014-2017)

JIM JONES

United States Ambassador to Mexico (1993-1997); Congressman (D-OK 1973-1987)

NANCY KASSEBAUM BAKER

Senator (R-KS 1978-1997)

THOMAS KEAN, SR.

Governor (R-NJ 1982-1990); Chairman, 9/11 Commission

BARBARA KENNELLY

Congresswoman (D-CT 1982-1999)

BOB KERREY

Senator (D-NE 1989-2001); Governor, Nebraska (1983-1987); Member, 9/11 Commission (2002-2004)

RON KLEIN

Congressman (D-FL 2007-2011)

JIM KOLBE

Congressman (R-AZ 1985-2007)

MIKE KOPETSKI

Congressman (D-OR 1991-1995)

PETER KOSTMAYER

Congressman (D-PA 1977-1981, 1983-1993)

MADELEINE KUNIN

U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland (1996-1999); Governor (D-VT 1985-1991)

STEVE KUYKENDALL
Congressman (R-CA 1999-2001)
RAY LAHOOD

Secretary of Transportation (2009-2013); Congressman (R-IL 1995-2009)

RICHARD LAMM

Governor (D-CO 1975-1987)

MARTIN LANCASTER

Congressman (D-NC 1987-1995)

MARY LANDRIEU

Senator (D-LA 1997-2015)

LARRY LAROCCO

Congressman (D-ID 1991-1995)

JIM LEACH

Congressman (R-IA 1977-2007)

JOHN LEBOUTILLIER

Congressman (R-NY 1981-1983)

CARL LEVIN

Senator (D-MI 1979-2015)

MEL LEVINE

Congressman (D-CA 1983-1993)

BLANCHE LINCOLN

Senator (D-AR 1999-2011); Congresswoman (D-AR 1993-1997)

BOB LIVINGSTON

Congressman (R-LA 1977-1999)

TRENT LOTT

Senator (R-MS 1989-2007); Senate Majority Leader (1996-2001); Senate Minority Leader (2001-2003); Congressman (R-MS 1973-1989)

RICHARD LUGAR

Senator (R-IN 1977-2013); Mayor, Indianapolis, IN (1968-1976)

DAN LUNGREN

Congressman (R-CA 1979-1989, 2005-2013)

DAN MAFFEI

Congressman (D-NY 2009-2015)

ANDREW MAGUIRE

Congressman (D-NJ 1975-1981)

MARJORIE MARGOLIES

Congresswoman (D-PA 1993-1995)

PETE MCCLOSKEY

Congressman (R-CA 1967-1983)

JOHN MCHUGH

Secretary of the Army (2009-2013); Congressman (R-NY 1993-2009)

MATTHEW MCHUGH

Congressman (D-NY 1975-1993)

JOHN MCKERNAN

Governor (R-ME 1987-1995); Congressman (R-ME 1983-1987)

TOM MCMILLEN

Congressman (D-MD 1987-1993)

GEORGE MILLER

Congressman (D-CA 1975-2015)

JEFF MILLER

Congressman (R-FL 2001-2017)

NORMAN MINETA

Secretary of Transportation (2001-2006); Secretary of Commerce (2000-2001); Congressman (D-CA 1975-1995); Mayor, San Jose, CA (1971-1975)

WALTER MONDALE

Vice President of the United States (1977-1981); U.S. Ambassador to Japan (1993-1996); Senator (D-MN 1964-1976)

JIM MOODY

Congressman (D-WI 1983-1993)

JIM MORAN

Congressman (D-VA 1991-2015)

CONNIE MORELLA

Ambassador to OECD (2003-2007); Congresswoman (R-MD 1987-2003)

PATRICK J. MURPHY
Congressman (D-PA 2007-2011); Under Secretary of the Army (2016-2017); Acting Secretary of the Army (January 2016-May 2016)

 

SUE MYRICK

Congresswoman (R-NC 1995-2013); Mayor (1987-1991)

GEORGE NETHERCUTT

Congressman (R-WA 1995-2005)

GLENN NYE

Congressman (D-VA 2009-2011)

TOM OSBORNE

Congressman (R-NE 2001-2007)

RICHARD OTTINGER

Congressman (D-NY 1965-1971, 1975-1985)

LEON PANETTA

Secretary of Defense (2011-2013); Director of the CIA (2009-2011); Congressman (D-CA 1977-1993)

DEVAL PATRICK

Governor (D-MA 2007-2015)

TOM PETRI

Congressman (R-WI 1979-2015)

TODD PLATTS

Congressman (R-PA 2001-2013)

EARL POMEROY

Congressman (D-ND 1993-2011)

JOHN EDWARD PORTER

Congressman (R-IL 1980-2001)

JON PORTER

Congressman (R-NV 2003-2009)

LARRY PRESSLER

Senator (R-SD 1979-1997); Congressman (R-SD 1975-1979)

DEBORAH PRYCE

Congresswoman (R-OH 1993-2009)

MARK PRYOR

Senator (D-AR 2003-2015)

JACK QUINN

Congressman (R-NY 1993-2005)

REID RIBBLE

Congressman (R-WI 2011-2017)

TOM RIDGE

Secretary of Homeland Security (2003-2005); Governor (R-PA 1995-2001); Congressman (R-PA 1983-1995)

BILL RITTER

Governor (D-CO 2007-2011)

TIM ROEMER

Congressman (D-IN 1991-2003); U.S. Ambassador to India (2009-2011); Member, 9/11 Commission (2002-2004)

ROY ROMER

Governor (D-CO 1987-1999)

RON SARASIN

Congressman (R-CT 1973-1979)

BILL SARPALIUS

Congressman (D-TX 1989-1995)

JIM SASSER

U.S. Ambassador to China (1996-1999); Senator (D-TN 1977-1995)

ED SCHAFER

Secretary of Agriculture (2008-2009); Governor (R-ND 1992-2000)

CLAUDINE SCHNEIDER

Congresswoman (R-RI 1981-1991)

PATRICIA SCHROEDER

Congresswoman (D-CO 1973-1997)

JOE SCHWARZ

Congressman (R-MI 2005-2007)

PHILIP SHARP

Congressman (D-IN 1975-1995)

CHRIS SHAYS

Congressman (R-CT 1987-2009)

KAREN SHEPHERD

Congresswoman (D-UT 1993-1995)

HEATH SHULER

Congressman (D-NC 2007-2013)

GERRY SIKORSKI

Congressman (D-MN 1983-1993)

ALAN SIMPSON

Senator (R-WY 1979-1997); Senate Republican Whip (1985-1995); Chairperson, National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (2010)

DAVID SKAGGS

Congressman (D-CO 1987-1999)

JIM SLATTERY

Congressman (D-KS 1983-1995)

PETER SMITH

Congressman (R-VT 1989-1991)

OLYMPIA SNOWE

Senator (R-ME 1995-2013); Congresswoman (R-ME 1989-1995)

JOHN SPRATT, JR.

Congressman (D-SC 1983-2011)

CLIFF STEARNS

Congressman (R-FL 1989-2013)

CHARLES STENHOLM

Congressman (D-TX 1979-2005)

ADLAI STEVENSON III

Senator (D-IL 1970-1981)

BART STUPAK

Congressman (D-MI 1993-2011)

RICHARD SWETT

U.S. Ambassador to Denmark (1998-2001); Congressman (D-NH 1991-1995)

BOB TAFT

Governor (R-OH 1999-2007)

ROBIN TALLON

Congressman (D-SC 1983-1993)

JOHN TANNER

Congressman (D-TN 1989-2011)

ELLEN TAUSCHER

Congresswoman (D-CA 1997-2009)

LEE TERRY

Congressman (R-NE 1999-2015)

KAREN THURMAN

Congresswoman (D-FL 1993-2003)

TODD TIAHRT

Congressman (R-KS 1995-2011)

JOHN TIERNEY

Congressman (D-MA 1997-2015)

MARK UDALL

Senator (D-CO 2009-2015); Congressman (D-CO 1999-2009)

BOB WALKER

Congressman (R-PA 1977-1997)

ZACH WAMP

Congressman (R-TN 1995-2011)

HENRY WAXMAN

Congressman (D-CA 1975-2015)

CHRISTINE TODD WHITMAN

Governor (R-NJ 1994-2001); Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency (2001-2003)

PAT WILLIAMS

Congressman (D-MT 1979-1997)

TIM WIRTH

Senator (D-CO 1987-1993); Congressman (D-CO 1975-1987)

ROBERT WISE

Governor (D-WV 2001-2005); Congressman (D-WV 1983-2001)

LYNN WOOLSEY

Congresswoman (D-CA 1993-2013)

BILL ZELIFF

Congressman (R-NH 1991-1997)

Read “Why We Left Congress: How the Legislative Branch Is Broken and What We Can Do About It”

Issue One’s new joint report with the R Street Institute examines the legislative branch’s dysfunction through conversations with members who have voluntarily departed in the 2018 cycle. Read the full report and proposed solutions in “Why We Left Congress: How the Legislative Branch is Broken and What We Can Do About It” here.