In the wake of elections where voters expressed strong dissatisfaction with the DC culture of corruption, Democrats have made lobbyist reform a priority:

The Democratic agenda would ban gifts and travel paid for by lobbyists; double, to two years, the time in which lawmakers and senior officials are barred from lobbying their former offices; force lobbyists to disclose more of their activities; and shut down efforts like the Republican "K Street Project" - a forced alliance with lobbying firms, named for the Washington street that is home to many lobbying offices.

Both the House and Senate passed changes in lobbying laws and rules this year under Republican leadership, but the two chambers were never able to bridge their differences and produce final legislation. There's no guarantee the Democrats will do any better.

There is also no guarantee that Congress will deal with ethical issues affecting members, not just lobbyists: 

The congressional watchdog groups are trying to pressure the new leadership to approve one change that is not now on the agenda: creation of a body of legal experts from outside Congress to investigate allegations of wrongdoing by lawmakers and their employees.

Melanie Sloan, director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said "creating more and more rules for lobbyists is not the answer to congressional ethics problems. Members themselves need to follow ethics rules and suffer serious consequences for violating those rules."

Miller, the Washington lobbyist, agreed. He said that in addition to Abramoff and his former employees, "It's members of Congress and congressional staffers who are going to prison. Maybe there should be more ethics training for those folks and not pointing the finger at the lobbying community."

Congress needs to clean its own house.  And keep it clean.