(2006-03-09) — The Senate voted yesterday to begin a hunger strike to protest the influence that well-funded lobbyists have wielded on Capitol Hill.

The bill, which passed on a voice vote, forbids senators and their aides from accepting meals from registered lobbyists.

Medical experts say the 75-to-90 percent reduction in caloric intake could threaten the lives of some senators within the next nine-to-18 months.

However, Senators Rick Santorum, R-PA, and Christopher Dodd, D-CT, who co-sponsored the bill said the measure could “radically increase the number of senators who can ride Capitol Hill elevators at the same time, reducing energy consumption and increasing the collegial atmosphere of the Senate.”

An amendment, which would have channeled lobbyist meal money to local soup kitchens to feed the poor, failed unanimously.

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